Does anyone know any true facts about puffins?
Puffins are any of three auk species (or alcids) in the bird genus Fratercula (Latin: little brother — probably a reference to their black and white plumage, which resembles monastic robes) with a brightly coloured beak in the breeding season. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among rocks or in burrows in the soil. The Tufted Puffin was formerly placed in the genus Lunda. All puffin species have large beaks. They shed the colourful outer parts of their bills after the breeding season, leaving a smaller and duller beak. Their short wings are adapted for swimming with a flying technique under water. In the air, they beat their wings rapidly (up to 400 times per minute[1]) in swift flight, often flying low over the ocean’s surface. Similarities in body shape and colour between puffins and penguins are due to convergent evolution.
Puffins belong to the family of birds called auks. The Atlantic puffin is one of four species of puffins and is the only one that lives on the North Atlantic Ocean. In 1992 it became the official bird of Newfoundland and Labrador. Puffins are nicknamed “parrots of the sea” because of their colourful beaks. Puffins have a very unusual call which sounds like a chainsaw. The scientific name Fratercula arctica means “little brother of the north.
Atlantic puffins spend most of their lives at sea, but return to land to form breeding colonies during spring and summer. Fast Facts Type: Bird Diet: Carnivore Average lifespan in the wild: 20 years or more Size: 10 in (25 cm) Weight: 17.5 oz (500 g) Group name: Colony Size relative to a tea cup: Atlantic Puffin Profile Atlantic puffins have penguin-like coloring but they sport a colorful beak that has led some to dub them the “sea parrot.” The beak fades to a drab gray during the winter and blooms with color again in the spring—suggesting that it may be attractive to potential mates. These birds live most of their lives at sea, resting on the waves when not swimming. They are excellent swimmers that use their wings to stroke underwater with a flying motion. They steer with rudderlike webbed feet and can dive to depths of 200 feet (61 meters), though they usually stay underwater for only 20 or 30 seconds. Puffins typically hunt small fish like herring or sand eels. In the air, puffins
