Atlantic Puffin

Overview

Atlantic Puffin: Medium seabird with black upperparts, white underparts, white face, and large, parrot-like, orange and gray bill. Eyes surrounded by orange and black markings; legs and feet are bright orange. The only puffin nesting on the Atlantic Coast. Swift direct flight.

Range and Habitat

Atlantic Puffin: Occurs in and around the north Atlantic. Disperse in winter over open ocean, reaching as far south as the Azores and Canary Islands. During summer, frequents rocky cliffs of the north Atlantic and northern Europe.

INTERESTING FACTS

Atlantic Puffins work very hard to fly fast—they flap their wings at 300-400 beats per minute to maintain flight.
It is the official bird of the Canadian province Newfoundland and Labrador. The genus name Fratercula means “little brother” or “friar” which may refer to its black and white dress.
They have a series of backward-pointing spines that project from the tongue and top of mouth and allow them to hold food in place while more is being caught. The record in Canada is 61 fish in one bird’s mouth.
A group of puffins has many collective nouns, including a "burrow", "circus", "colony", "improbability", and "puffinry" of puffins.

The Atlantic Puffin has a fairly large global range, spanning up to 1 million square kilometers. This bird is native to a variety of countries around the world, including several in Europe as well as Canada and the United States. The Atlantic Puffin has been seen in numerous other countries as well. The population of this bird is believed to be as large as 6 million. There is not currently any concern regarding population decline. Currently, the Atlantic Puffin has a Least Concern evaluation due to its large population and global range.