The answer is ARCTIC TERN. This two-word, ten-letter species name (A-R-C-T-I-C T-E-R-N) is the answer crossword constructors use for any clue asking about the bird with the longest migration. Every major reference source, from Guinness World Records to Britannica to the Smithsonian, names the Arctic tern as the record holder for longest annual migration of any bird species, making it the only realistic answer to this clue.
Bird That Has the Longest Migration Crossword Answer
James Ridgley
7 May 2026
What the clue is really asking
The phrasing "bird that has the longest migration" is a classic crossword fact-clue: it points to a single well-known species rather than a migration route, flyway, or general behavior. Crossword constructors love this type of clue because there is one widely accepted, encyclopedically confirmed answer that solvers can either know or look up. It is not asking about the longest nonstop flight (that record belongs to the bar-tailed godwit), nor is it asking about a general category of migratory birds. The word "longest" here means greatest total annual distance traveled, and that distinction is exactly why Arctic tern always wins the category.
Occasionally the clue appears in a slightly different form. You might see "ARCTIC _ (migrating bird)" with only four letters to fill in, pointing straight to TERN. Or you might see the full species name clued as a two-part answer across two grid entries. Either way, the underlying bird is identical. The phrasing is just the constructor's way of fitting the answer into the available grid space.
The most likely candidate birds
Before you lock in any crossword answer, it helps to know the short list of birds that might plausibly claim the "longest migration" title, and why Arctic tern sits firmly at the top.
| Bird | Migration type | Distance (approx.) | Crossword relevance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arctic tern | Longest annual migration (round trip) | 80,000–90,000 km (~50,000 miles) | Primary answer; confirmed by Guinness, Britannica, Smithsonian |
| Bar-tailed godwit | Longest nonstop flight | 13,560 km (~8,425 miles) nonstop | Different record; unlikely answer for this specific clue |
| Sooty shearwater | Long transequatorial migration | ~64,000 km round trip | Rarely cited; not the mainstream "longest" answer |
| Short-tailed shearwater | Long transequatorial migration | Similar to sooty shearwater | Obscure; not a crossword staple for this clue |
The bar-tailed godwit is the only other bird that comes up frequently in "longest migration" conversations, but the two records describe different things. The godwit's fame is built on its jaw-dropping nonstop endurance: a juvenile nicknamed B6 flew 8,425 miles from Alaska to Tasmania without landing, which USGS confirmed as a world record for nonstop flight. The Arctic tern, by contrast, does not fly nonstop, but its total annual journey from Arctic breeding grounds to Antarctic wintering grounds and back again covers around 50,000 to 56,000 miles depending on the individual bird's route. If your clue says "longest migration" without the word "nonstop," Arctic tern is correct.
Matching the answer to crossword grid constraints
This is where you cross-check the candidate against the actual squares in your puzzle. "Arctic tern" as a two-word entry gives you two distinct fill options depending on how the constructor set up the grid.
- ARCTICTERN: 10 letters total (no space), used when the answer runs across one continuous set of squares
- ARCTIC + TERN: 6 letters then 4 letters, used when two separate entries connect or when the clue references only part of the name
- TERN: 4 letters, used when the clue is "ARCTIC _ (migrating bird)" or a similar partial-name format
- No hyphenation: Arctic tern is never written as "arctic-tern" in any standard reference, so do not expect a hyphenated grid entry
A crossword key from BirdsCaribbean's migratory-birds educational worksheet spells out the answer explicitly as "arctic tern" in two words, confirming this is the expected form. If your grid has 10 consecutive squares and the clue is about the longest migration, fill in ARCTICTERN. This full bird military rank crossword clue would still point you to the same Arctic tern answer for the migration record context. If it has 4 squares with "ARCTIC" already filled or clued separately, write TERN. The letter pattern A-R-C-T-I-C is unusual enough that crossing letters will confirm it quickly.
Verifying the migration facts
You do not have to take the crossword's word for it. The Arctic tern's migration record is one of the most thoroughly documented facts in ornithology. Here is a quick summary of what the sources actually say:
- Guinness World Records: Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) migrates the greatest distance of any bird, with a round trip of approximately 80,467 km (50,000 miles)
- Audubon: one tracked Arctic tern covered 59,650 miles in a single year, flying from England to Antarctica and back
- Newcastle University tracking data: annual migration totals around 90,000 km depending on the individual's route
- Smithsonian Ocean: Arctic tern has the longest migration of all birds, flying from near the North Pole to waters off Antarctica
- A peer-reviewed paper in the scientific literature (archived at PMC) is literally titled "Hypotheses and tracking results about the longest migration: The case of the arctic tern"
The variation in the distance figures (50,000 miles vs. 59,650 miles vs. 90,000 km) comes from individual birds taking different routes and from improving GPS tracking technology. Earlier estimates based on ring recoveries underestimated the actual distances; modern light-level geolocator tags revealed that many birds take sweeping S-shaped routes rather than direct paths, adding thousands of miles. Regardless of which number a source cites, every serious reference agrees the Arctic tern holds the overall "longest annual migration" title.
Spelling, pronunciation, and name variants
Getting the spelling right matters for filling in that grid without second-guessing yourself. Here is everything you need to know about the name itself. Brittany is known as a bird hunting dog in the CodyCross puzzle category, which many solvers link to the same bird-related theme as Arctic tern brittany is known as a bird hunting dog codycross.
Correct spelling
The standard English common name is Arctic tern, written as two words with no hyphen. Merriam-Webster lists it as "arctic tern" (lowercase in dictionary style), while Audubon and Cornell Lab capitalize it as "Arctic Tern" in the species-name convention used by ornithologists. In a crossword grid, capitalization is irrelevant since all squares are uppercase, so you simply write ARCTIC TERN or ARCTICTERN depending on how the grid is laid out.
Pronunciation
Say it as ARK-tik TURN. The IPA rendering is /ˈɑːrktɪk tɜːrn/. The word "arctic" is commonly mispronounced as "AR-tik" (dropping the first C), but the correct form keeps both C sounds: ARK-tik. "Tern" rhymes with "fern" and "turn." There is no tricky syllable stress: both words get relatively equal emphasis, with a slight lean on the first syllable of each.
Scientific name
The scientific name is Sterna paradisaea. "Sterna" (STER-nah) is the Latin genus name for terns, and "paradisaea" (pa-ra-di-SEE-ah) means "of paradise," a reference to the bird's elegant appearance. You will not need the scientific name for most crossword clues, but it does appear in more advanced science-themed puzzles, so it is worth knowing.
Alternative common names and variants
The Arctic tern does not have many widely used alternative common names in English, which is part of why it is such a clean crossword answer. You will occasionally see it called the "arctic sea tern" in older texts, and some regional guides simply call it a "tern" without the qualifier, but Arctic tern is the universal standard. In other languages the name translates literally: "terne arctique" in French, "Küstenseeschwalbe" in German (meaning coastal sea-swallow, a traditional name for terns), and "charrán ártico" in Spanish. None of these variants will appear in an English crossword, but they are useful if you cross-reference a multilingual field guide.
A note on similar clue types
If you enjoy bird-themed crossword clues, you will notice that constructors often lean on record-holding behaviors to clue a specific species. The "longest migration" clue for Arctic tern follows the same logic as clues about the bird that does somersaults in flight, a bird that can make tools, or even the "top of a wave or bird" wordplay that lands on CREST. If you see the bird that does somersaults in flight clue, it points to a different famous species. Each of those clues has one well-established answer, and the key to solving them quickly is knowing which record or behavior is uniquely tied to which species. For migration-related clues specifically, always check whether the clue says "longest" (Arctic tern), "longest nonstop" (bar-tailed godwit), or "highest altitude" (bar-headed goose) before committing to your answer.
Quick-reference summary
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Common name | Arctic tern |
| Scientific name | Sterna paradisaea |
| Pronunciation | ARK-tik TURN (/ˈɑːrktɪk tɜːrn/) |
| Letter count (full name) | 10 letters (no space): A-R-C-T-I-C-T-E-R-N |
| Letter count (partial clue) | 4 letters for TERN alone |
| Hyphenated form? | No, never hyphenated |
| Migration distance | ~80,000–90,000 km (~50,000–56,000 miles) round trip annually |
| Record type | Longest annual migration of any bird species |
| Key sources confirming record | Guinness World Records, Britannica, Audubon, Smithsonian, Cornell Lab |
FAQ
If my crossword has "longest annual migration" instead of "longest migration," is the answer still Arctic tern?
Usually yes, because the record is defined as greatest total annual distance, not a single trip. In practice, the grid length and any extra letters you already have still determine whether you write ARCTIC TERN (10 letters plus the space) or TERN (4 letters).
What if the clue says "longest migration distance" or "greatest migration distance" without the word annual?
Arctic tern is still the best fit in most crosswords, because constructors generally rely on the annual total distance idea when they say longest migration. However, if the puzzle’s entry is too short for TERN or the length rules out ARCTIC TERN, treat that as a signal the constructor might be using a different record or a different bird name variant.
My puzzle has the answer across two separate entries, ARCTIC and TERN. Is that normal for this clue?
Yes. Some constructors split species names into two fills when the grid supports it. In that setup, you must ensure the cross letters make TERN match, not ARCTIC, since ARCTIC alone is much more likely to fit other clues.
How can I tell whether the clue is about total migration vs nonstop flying?
Look for keywords. "Nonstop" points to the bar-tailed godwit, while the plain "longest migration" wording points to Arctic tern. If your clue is ambiguous, use cross letters to confirm the species name rather than relying on the record number you may remember.
If I get an answer-checking app that suggests a different bird, should I trust it?
Not blindly. Many apps conflate different migration records, such as longest nonstop flight versus longest annual migration. If the clue lacks "nonstop" and your length fits, ARCTIC TERN is the safer choice, and you can verify quickly with crossing letters because ARCTIC has an uncommon letter sequence.
Could the crossword ever use a hyphenated or alternative English name like "arctic sea tern"?
Most English crosswords will not. The common convention for clues and fills is Arctic tern as two words without a hyphen. Still, if your grid shows an unusual pattern that matches SEA TERN letters, re-check whether the clue is in an older style or a themed list that uses variants.
What should I do if the grid length does not match either ARCTIC TERN or TERN?
Re-read the clue for a different record category. For example, the bar-headed goose is tied to highest altitude, and the bar-tailed godwit is tied to longest nonstop flight. If none of those fit the grid length, the puzzle may be using a shorter or nonstandard form, so check the enumeration carefully.
Does capitalization or spacing ever matter for this answer in crosswords?
No, for normal crossword mechanics. Even if the clue expects one style, solvers enter uppercase letters in squares, so ARCTICTERN and ARCTIC TERN are functionally handled by the grid’s layout. Your only real constraints are letter count and the crossing letters.
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