The Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) is one of four types of puffin and is a striking, pelagic sea bird. It is recognised by its brightly coloured rounded beak and its similar appearance to a penguin. Also known as the ‘Common Puffin’, it is the only puffin species which is found in the Atlantic Ocean. Check out these facts!

Atlantic Puffins feed mostly on small fish such as herring and in particular sand-eel, which is one of the most important food sources for many of the worlds sea birds. Because of their specially adapted beak, puffins are able to go on long fishing trips, storing their previous catch in a neat row in their beak.

Atlantic Puffins are colonial nesters, using burrows on grassy cliffs. Atlantic Puffins will also nest amongst rocks and scree (a term given to broken rock that appears at the bottom of crags, mountain cliffs or valley shoulders, forming a scree slope).

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.

The Atlantic Puffin is sexually mature at the age of 4 – 5 years. Atlantic Puffins are monogamous (having only one mate) and have bi parental care. A single egg clutch is produced each year and incubation responsibilities are shared between both parents.