Beautiful Birds

 Atlantic Puffin

Scientific Classification

Scientific Name - Fratercula arctica

Domain               - Eukaryota

Kingdom             - Animalia

Phylum                - Chordata

Class                     - Aves

Order                   - Charadriiformes

Family                 - Alcidae

Genus                  - Fratercula

Species               - F.arctica

The Atlantic Puffin, also known as the common puffin, is a species of seabird in the auk family. It is the only puffin native to the Atlantic Ocean; two related species, the turfled puffin and the horned puffin is found in the northwestern Pacific. Atlantic puffins, Fratercula arctica, are pelagic sea birds that have a large range mainly in the North Atlantic Ocean with a global population estimated too be about 5,700,000 - 6,000,000 individuals.

Atlantic puffin are found exclusively in the North Atlantic Ocean; in North America, they nest from Labrador/Newfoundland to the Northwestern United States. In Europe, they nest south to the Brittany coast of France, Northwards to Iceland, Greenland, and Northern Russia. Puffins are 29 - 34cm in length with a wingspan of 21 - 24 inches. Puffins are nicknamed parrots of the sea, because of their colorful triangular shaped beaks. Entering mating season in spring, the puffin's beak is red with an inner section of yellow; the corners of the beak are blue. Puffins often live 20 years or more. The oldest known puffin lived to be 36 years.

Puffins do not often show any fear towards humans and approaching them very closely seems to be easy. But this doesn't mean that they want to be touched or that they enjoy our company. Touching a puffin is actually very harmful to them as their feathers have special properties that deflect water. Puffins are important predators of small fish and marine invertebrates in the areas in which they live.

Atlantic Puffin

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