Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica)-- This 12-inch seabird nests in colonies of varying size from a few pairs to over 200,000 pairs. Formerly called the Common Puffin the Atlantic Puffin has also been called the "sea parrot." The Puffin is one of the most abundant seabirds of the North Atlantic. It breeds on rocky islands and coasts in northeastern United States and eastern Canada.
A Puffin's face is largely dark in winter. The breeding adult has a massive, brightly colored bill; white face and underparts
contrast with dark upperparts. Winter adult has a smaller, duller bill, and a dusky face. The outer layers of the bill are shed in late summer, so winter adults and especially the immatures have small bills. The full adult bill takes five years to develop.
A single egg, white in ground color but often having faded brown or lilac markings is laid in a burrow or crevice on grassy coastal or island slopes. The female incubates the egg. Incubation is from 40 to 49 days. The nestling period is from 38 to 44 days.
Puffins are expert divers. They use their wings to propel themselves underwater. They can dive up to hundreds of feet to catch fish. Preferred fish are capelin and sand lance.
Some other Puffins include the Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) and the Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata). Images are these two birds are shown below.
In this series of images, the top two birds are Horned Puffins
and the rest are Tufted Puffins.
Order: Charadriiformes | Family: Alcidae | Species: Fratercula arctica
