Did you know?

• Over 190 species of birds have been recorded on the Arctic Refuge. Birds from across six continents and from all 50 United States migrate to the refuge annually


• Birds go to great lengths to reach the Arctic Refuge every year. The Arctic Tern makes the longest migration on the planet and may fly up to 24,000 miles in one year, from the south pole to the north pole and back


• The 24-hour Arctic summer daylight produces rich food sources for millions of birds. Birds come to the Arctic Refuge to build up fat reserves for the long journey back to southern wintering grounds


• Most birds double their weight by adding enough fat to succeed in a nonstop migration. The average human male would have to eat 53 cheeseburgers a day for a month to reach the equivalent of the number of calories consumed by migrating birds during their short time in the Arctic


• The Arctic Refuge gets very crowded at the height of breeding season! An estimated 230,000 shorebirds nest on the coastal plain during the breeding season

For more fun facts about Arctic birds, click here.