Black-billed and herring gulls are the harshest predator for puffins capable of grabbing the small seabirds from the sky, water, or ground, it is hard for puffins to avoid the gulls.Įven more difficult to avoid are the human threats. While being the most striking, the beak is also the most unique feature between the different puffin species:Īnita Gould, flickr creative commons, CC BY-NC 2.0Puffins tend to live for approximately 20 years as long as they can avoid predators. The most striking feature of the puffins are their bright orange feet and beak. The feathers found underneath the wings of the puffin are often lighter grey or brown, rather than black. Puffins faces are covered in black feathers, with large circles of white feathers surrounding their eyes. Puffins have a tuxedo-like appearance, with black feathered backs and white feathered tummies. Puffins are covered in waterproof feathers, allowing them to spend most of their time in the water. Puffins are small seabirds, averaging at about 25cm in length. If you're ever in need, it is highly likely that you can find a puffin on the northern seas and coasts of North America. Puffins can be found in many different areas. All puffin species are very similar however, their beaks and facial features are the key to telling them apart. There are three different species of puffins atlantic puffins (fratercula arctica), horned puffins (fratercula corniculata), and tufted puffins (fratercula cirrhata). Not long ago I started the exciting task of drawing puffin colouring pages, and along the way I realized that when it comes to puffins I'm still a child! They are just so adorable! Only to reappear in all their glory seconds later, along with my youthful excitement at seeing the funny, little birds again. Every once in a while a wave would rise and all the puffins would disappear. I remember seeing puffins floating on top of the water in a group. This is also the home of the popular breed of dogs with the same name.GuentherWhen I was ten my family went on a road trip around the Maritimes I was too young to remember much from the trip, but I distinctly remember a boat ride we took on the sea. The Atlantic puffin is the official bird of the Canadian provinces Newfoundland and Labrador. The little bird hatches after 40 days of breeding. They lay just one egg into the cave each time. After mating the Atlantic puffins dig a cave into the earth that can be 36 inch (90 cm) deep and is being used again year after year. If two Atlantic puffins have become a pair, they stay together for the rest of their lives. How often can you imitate their movement with your arms within one minute’s time? Have a try!Ītlantic Puffin - Photo: Mark Caunt/Shutterstock Reproductionĭuring the breeding season the Atlantic puffins form colonies of several thousand animals. Are Atlantic Puffins Fast?Ītlantic Puffins can reach up to 55 mph (88 km/h) when flying and flap their wings 400 times per minute. The webbing between its toes lets the Atlantic puffin use its feet as effective steering paddles. The Atlantic puffin can dive as deep as 200-230 feet (60-70 meters) and practically spirals down using its little wings just like propellers. An Atlantic puffin in Canada holds the record with the largest number of fish in its bill – it carried around 61 fish at the same time.Ītlantic Puffin - Photo: Matt Elliott/Shutterstock Senses and Abilities How Deep Do Atlantic Puffins Dive? This allows the Atlantic puffin to continue hunting and open the bill without losing the fish it has caught already. The trick is to use the tongue and press the fish against the inwardly serrated edges of the bill, which hold the fish like little fishhooks. Even if it is already carrying several fish around in its triangular bill, it manages to capture even more of them. The Atlantic puffin literally likes to bite off more than it can swallow. Behavior Atlantic Puffins Carry Up to 60 Fish in Their Bills During the winter, their bill is grey-brown. In summer, Atlantic Puffins have an extraordinary orange-colored bill. This is why they are also called “sea parrots”.Ītlantic Puffin - Photo: Arnoud Quanjer/Shutterstock Anatomy and Appearance The Color of the Bill Yet, their bills resemble those of parrots. They have a black and white plumage and walk upright like the little fellows in their tailcoats. Species Is it a Penguin?Ītlantic Puffins could indeed be mistaken for a rare penguin species. The Atlantic puffin belongs to the family of the auks and lives on the open sea of colder regions such as North America, Greenland and Iceland most of the time.
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