This Record-Breaking Tern Flew 59,650 MILES For Its Annual Migration

A sea bird has just broken the record for the longest ever recorded annual migration - flying an astonishing 59,650 MILES.

The incredible journey of the tern is so long that it is more than twice the circumference of the entire planet.

Setting off from the Farne Islands, just off the coast of Northumberland, the tiny bird flew all the way to the tip of South Africa before heading across the Indian Ocean to its destination in Antarctica.

The tern, that weighs less than an iPhone, arrived in November last year, having taken off from Britain in July.

Scientists from Newcastle University tracked its journey using a miniature monitoring device attached to its leg for BBC’s Springwatch show.

Record breaker: The tern flew twice the circumference of the Earth (PA)

Having arrived back in Britain, the tern was discovered to have flown a total of 59,650 miles - beating the previous Arctic tern record of 56,545 miles on a flight from the Netherlands.

Richard Bevan, of the university’s school of biology, said the data will help scientists find out how climate change may affect terns’ routes.

He added: “It’s really quite humbling to see these tiny birds return when you consider the huge distances they’ve had to travel and how they’ve battled to survive.”

Arctic terns will clock up nearly two MILLION miles in its lifetime as it repeats the journey to feed.

Top pic: PA