Atlantic Puffin

Background

It is not hard to see why these birds are sometimes referred to as the “parrot of the sea”, the shocking orange and black bill of this species is one of the clearest identifications within the animal kingdom. The Atlantic Puffin can dive up to 60 meters in order to capture prey.

Habitat

Puffins live in the north of the Atlantic, ranging from the eastern coasts of the USA to central Russia.

Diet

Being excellent divers the puffin primarily feeds on fish such as herring, whiting and sand eels.

Predators & Threats

The primary threats that currently face these animals are; overfishing, chemical pollution and fatalities as a result of being caught in fishing nets. There are few predators of the puffin despite their small size due to the puffins nesting sites. Hawks, eagles and foxes the main predators.

Facts

• Puffins flap their wings upto 400 times per minute in order to stay in the air.
• Rising sea levels could submerge some breeding colonies.

Best Time to Look

Late spring on the coast during breeding season. They move into the ocean after a very short period after this.