Common Name:
Atlantic puffin
Scientific Name:
Fratercula arctica
Unique Qualities:
Atlantic puffins are compact, strong birds with a relatively long body. They have short wings and powerful wing muscles. At one end, the bill and head cut through the water that passes smoothly over the streamlined body. At the other end, their legs and feet act as rudders. However, puffins are poor fliers. They have difficulty becoming airborne and flap their wings at an amazing 300– 400 beats per minute to maintain flight.
Can be Seen:
The largest concentrations nest mostly on islands around Iceland, Norway, the Faeroe Islands, British Isles, and eastern Canada. About 365,000 pairs breed in North America from northern Maine in the United States to the Canadian Arctic.
Likes to Hang Out:
It nests on coastal islands, either digging a burrow in topsoil or making its home in rock piles or cliff crevices.
Likes to Eat:
They feed on hake, capelin, herring, and invertebrates, like shrimp and shellfish.
Status:
Puffins are still abundant in many parts of the world but their numbers have begun to decrease due to hunting and pollution. Oil pollution is one of the greatest risks for these sea birds. Also, humans hunt puffins for their feathers and meat. Fortunately, there are now laws to protect them.
