7 Fascinating Facts About Puffins

Puffin Facts: There Are Multiple Species of Puffins

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There are four species of puffins: Atlantic, horned, tufted and (despite the misleading name) rhinoceros auklets. They live along the northern coastlines of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

Psst—these are the best ways to see puffins in Maine.

Puffins Weigh More Than You Think

Standing 10 inches tall, Atlantic puffins weigh about a pound. Their feathers resemble a crisp, black-and-white tuxedo and offset a comical, orange-striped beak.

Puffin Pairs Mate for Life

Courtesy Mary Alley

It takes several years for puffins to mature and breed. At about 5 years old, they choose a partner that they mate with year after year. While songbirds have clutch sizes containing multiple eggs, puffins lay only one egg every breeding season.

Puffin Populations Have Bounced Back

Atlantic puffins once disappeared from colonies in southern Maine due to overhunting, but they were reintroduced to Eastern Egg Rock starting in 1973 as part of “Project Puffin.” Over 1,900 chicks were transplanted to re-establish the colony.

Puffins Live Longer Than Songbirds

Courtesy Howard Wu

Smaller songbirds tend to have lifespans of around eight to 10 years. Most puffins, however, live into their 20s. Researchers don’t know the exact average age because puffins tend to live longer than tracking bands last.

Puffins Save Food for Later

Courtesy Dorene Bass

On average, puffins catch and hold on to 10 fish for each trip to the sea. They use their tongues to secure the fish against their jagged palate, allowing them to bring more food back to their nests. A puffin in Britain was spotted with an astonishing 62 fish in its mouth at once.

Puffins Are Skilled Divers and Fast Fliers

Atlantic puffins dive to depths of 200 feet—often in half-minute plunges—but typically hunt in shallower waters for small fish, including sand lance, sprat, herring, hake and cod. Despite their stocky builds, puffins pick up some serious speed! They flap their wings up to 400 beats a minute and fly 48 to 55 mph.

When you’re done reading puffin facts, learn more about Atlantic puffins and birds with limited ranges in the U.S..

Sources

• National Audubon Society, “Field Guide: Atlantic Puffin“
• All About Birds, “Atlantic Puffin: Overview“
• All About Birds, “Tufted Puffin Overview“