Nature Photos of the Week

August 8, 2007

 

Puffins!

The Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) is a seabird in the auk family. It is a pelagic species that feeds primarily by diving for fish. Its most obvious characteristic is its brightly colored beak during the breeding seasons. Also known as the Common Puffin, it is the only puffin species which is found in the Atlantic Ocean. The characteristic bright orange bill plates grow before the breeding season and are shed after breeding. The bills are used in courtship rituals, such as the pair tapping their bills together.

 

Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula artica © 2006 Gary Melnysyn

This species breeds on the coasts of northern Europe, Faroe Islands, Iceland and eastern North America, from well within the Arctic Circle to northern France and Maine. The winter months are spent at sea far from land — in Europe as far south as the Mediterranean and in North America to North Carolina.

 

Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula artica © 2006 Gary Melnysyn

Atlantic Puffins are colonial nesters, using burrows on grassy cliffs. They will also nest amongst rocks and scree. Male puffins perform most of the work of clearing out the nest area, which is sometimes lined with grass, feathers or seaweed. The only time spent on land is to nest, and mates are found prior to arriving at the colonies.

 

Atlantic Puffin, Fratercula artica © 2006 Gary Melnysyn

Feeding areas are usually located fairly far offshore from the nest. Atlantic Puffins can dive approximately 50-200 feet underwater and are propelled by their powerful wings which are adapted for swimming. They use their webbed feet as a rudder while submerged. Puffins collect several small fish when hunting, and line them up in their bills facing alternately to each side. They use their tongues to hold the fish against spines in their palate, leaving their beaks free to open and catch more fish. Additional components of their diet are crustaceans and mollusks. A puffin can sometimes have a dozen or more fish in its beak at once.

 

Razorbill, Alca torda with puffin © 2006 Gary Melnysyn

The population of these birds was greatly reduced in the 1800's when they were hunted for meat and eggs. More recently, populations have declined due to predation by large gulls and the inadvertent introduction of rats, cats, dogs and foxes onto some islands used for nesting. A reintroduction project on the coast of Maine has helped give the Atlantic Puffin a boost. Since the Atlantic Puffin spends its winters on the open ocean, it is susceptible to human impacts such as oil spills. If an accidental oil spill occurs and pelagic birds are exposed, toxins are inhaled or ingested which leads to kidney and liver damage. This damage can contribute to a loss of reproductive success and damage to developing embryos (Ehrlich, P., Dobkin, D., Wheye, D.. 1988).