sea birds

1. Bird Name
English: Atlantic Puffin
Latin: Fratercula arctica

2. Appearance
The Atlantic Puffin is an intriguing species that draws attention with its clown-like facial features. It has a stout black body, white underparts, and white face adorned with a large, triangular beak splashed with yellow, orange, and deep red colors. Its eyes are encircled by vibrant orange rings contrasting with its grey eyes. Puffins are distinct for their smooth and waterproof feathers that shimmer in hues of blue and purple under sunlight. There is no significant difference in the physical features between males and females.

3. Size
On average, Atlantic Puffins measure about 25-30 cm (10-12 inches) in length, with a wingspan ranging from 47-63 cm (18-25 inches). Their weight typically ranges between 330 to 550 grams.

4. Habitat & Distribution
Atlantic Puffins predominantly inhabit the rugged, rocky coastlines and waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. They nest in large colonies in areas like Norway, Greenland, Canada, Northern United States, and the British Isles. Puffins favor nesting on coastal cliffs and offshore islands, making burrows in the soft soil.

5. Interesting Facts
The Atlantic Puffin is also referred to as the “sea parrot” owing to its vibrant beak and similar body shape. Despite their short wings, they are extraordinary swimmers who can dive up to 60m deep to hunt for fish. Puffins are monogamous and mate for life, returning to the same nesting site each year to breed.

6. Diet
Atlantic Puffins’ diet mainly consists of small fish like herring and sand eel. They have a distinctive capability of holding several fish in their beaks at a time; the record is holding 62 fish at once!

7. Behavior & Sounds
Puffins’ social behavior is visible during breeding season when flocks engage in bill-tapping and “puffin kisses”. Despite being adept flyers in strong coastal winds, they are rather clumsy on land, waddling like penguins. Their sounds are rather low, a growling, muffled “arrr” typically heard during breeding season.

8. Conservation Status
The Atlantic Puffin is listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to declining populations. Major threats include climate change, overfishing, and predation by invasive species.

9. Lifespan
The Atlantic puffins have a lifespan of around 20 years in the wild, although some individuals have reached up to 30 years.

10. Additional Notes
In Norway, the puffin is often called “Lunde”, and in Iceland, they are known as “Lundi”. In the Norse mythology, the puffin is a sacred bird associated with Freya, the goddess of love and fertility. Moreover, Puffins play crucial roles in the ecosystem. Their burrowing behavior aids in aerating the soil, while their droppings, or “guano,” help enrich the soil’s fertility. They are also a vital part of the food web, serving as prey for larger seabirds, foxes, and humans in some parts of the world.