Scientific Name: Fratercula arctica
Population: Estimated at 11-12 million globally
Regions: North Atlantic
Destinations: Jan Mayen, Iceland, Canada, Svalbard, Greenland, France, Norway, England, Scotland
Average Length: Adult: Males: ~32 cm (12.5 in), Females: ~30 cm (11.8 in); Newborn: ~7 cm (2.7 in)
Average Weight: Adult: Males: ~500 g (1.1 lbs), Females: ~450 g (1.0 lbs); Newborn: ~40 g (1.4 oz)
Diet Habits: Primarily small elongated fish (sand lance, capelin, small herring, and Atlantic cod). In winter, also feeds on small crustaceans, ragworms, and squid.
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Alcidae
Genus: Fratercula
Species: Fratercula arctica
English: Atlantic Puffin
Danish: Lunde
Chinese: 北极海鹦 (Běijí hǎiyīng)
Swedish: Lunnefågel
Finnish: Lunni
Norwegian: Lunde
Polish: Maskonur
Japanese: ニシツノメドリ (Nishitsunomedori)
Spanish: Frailecillo Atlántico
French: Macareux moine
Even though those two birds look very similar, puffins are not penguins. They are birds from different species with some differences. For example, penguins are flightless birds, whereas Atlantic puffins are strong fliers, averaging speeds of 80 km/h (50 mph). Moreover, they are very far apart geographically, with penguins found in Antarctica and Atlantic puffins in the Arctic.
Their diet consists of small, elongated fish such as sand lance, capelin, small herring, and Atlantic cod, which can be held in large quantities in their beak. During the extreme winter weather, and thanks for their ability to dive nearly 70 metres under the sea, these birds also consume small crustaceans, ragworms, and squid.
They didn’t earn the nicknames of ‘clown of the sea” and “sea parrot” for no reason. These incredible puffin birds have orange legs and feet, alongside a highly compressed beak with colourful shades of red, orange, yellow, black, and white during the mating and breeding seasons. Outside the breeding period, it appears greyish and smaller, as some of the beak's appendages are shed along with the feathers during the autumn moult.
Having roughly the same size to other wildlife spotted in our Arctic expeditions, such as the black guillemot, the clown of the sea measures 28–34 cm (11–13 inches) long, with a wingspan of 50–60 cm (20–24 inches). They typically weigh 400–500 grams (0.9–1.1 lbs), and a baby puffin, also known as ‘puffling’, measures around 7 cm (2.7 inches) in length and weighs approximately 40 grams (1.4 oz).
The Atlantic puffin's habitat is in the North Atlantic, nesting on coastal cliffs and isolated islands. These precious animals can be found in several locations, including Jan Mayen, Iceland, Canada, Svalbard, Greenland, France, Norway, England, and Scotland. These regions offer rocky shorelines and suitable terrain for burrowing, which is essential for their breeding.
One of the highlights of our expeditions to Iceland is spotting these birds. Over half of the world's population, roughly 8 million, inhabits the country. The best time to observe them is during summer, from May to August, when they return to the coastal cliffs to breed. After August, they migrate to the open ocean.
Although the population of the clown of the sea is estimated to be around 12 million individuals worldwide, according to the IUCN statistics from the past decade, their conservation status has shifted from 'Least Concern' to 'Vulnerable'. Populations have declined due to climate change, overfishing, and habitat destruction.
Fact #1: They usually gather in groups both on breeding grounds and at sea.
Fact #2: Atlantic puffins' beaks change color seasonally: bright orange in summer and fading to grey in winter as outer layers shed.
Fact #3: Their main predators are humans and other birds, such as the great black-backed gulls.
Fact #4: They can both swim and fly.
Fact #5: Puffins typically form lifelong bonds with their partners.
Fact #6: Atlantic puffins' lifespan is approximately 25 years.
Fact #7: These birds can dive up to 60 meters (200 feet).
Fact #8: The ‘puffling’ is covered in grey down and remains in its burrow for several weeks before taking its first flight.
Fact #9: Both male and female incubate their eggs.
Fact #10: There are four puffin species in the wild: the Tufted Puffin, the Horned Puffin, the Atlantic Puffin, and the Rhinoceros Auklet.
Join us on an Arctic adventure with Albatros Expeditions and witness the wonders of Arctic wildlife!
