![]() There are currently 12 puffins who live at The Puffin Rescue Centre the year-round. The operation is run by volunteers (the ‘Puffin Patrol’) who are passionate about conserving Iceland’s birdlife. In previous years, the number of pufflings checked and measured has exceeded 5000. The Puffin Rescue Centre undertakes essential conservation work, monitoring and nursing young puffins to health before releasing them back into the wild. The Puffin Rescue Centre, part of the Sea Life Trust Beluga Sanctuary in the Westman Islands, offers a close-up look at these magnificent birds all the year-round. Those visiting during the winter will still be able to see puffins living in captivity. This trend has caused some concern among conservationists since pufflings have less chance of survival in colder temperatures. However, food shortages linked to environmental pressures have pushed this departure period back in recent years. In previous decades, it was normal for puffins to leave for the open ocean by August. Most of the day, the parents are fishing out in the ocean. They are best spotted at their nests in early mornings or evening. Best time to see Puffins in IcelandĪtlantic Puffins are seen in Iceland between April and September each year. Their rough and tumble landings only add to their reputation as being somewhat clumsy aviators. Puffins can reach speeds up to 90 km/h, though it requires beating their winds 400 times a minute just to stay in the air. When in flight, things are often more complicated. When searching for their favourite foods (herring and sand eels), puffins can dive down to sixty metres, making a joke of scuba divers with their quick ability to descend. But how does this cute creature manage such an incredible feat?Ītlantic Puffins are incredible survivors but are better adapted to life in the water as they are in the sky. A single bird will have up to a square kilometre of the ocean to itself, where they spend around 2-3 years bobbing amidst the waves before returning to congregate with others. During this period, they are entirely silent, which makes for a change given their constant chattering onshore. Puffins separate from one another during their time spent out at sea. Puffins can live up to twenty years in the wild. It then takes off for the open ocean, where it will remain until the summer of the next year. After this period, the young puffling is considered fully grown, or fledged. Photo Credit: SEA LIFE Trustīoth the male and female puffins share responsibility, taking turns to incubate the egg. A young Puffling rescued at Látrabjarg Cliffs, Westfjords. After the egg hatches, baby puffins (known as a ‘Pufflings’) are reared by their parents for roughly six weeks. They tend to be monogamous and return to the same nesting site each year to lay a single egg. When it comes to mating, Atlantic Puffins behave very differently to most birds. Check out this 5-Day Guided Summer Tour in a Small Group - Golden Circle, South Iceland & Glacier Hike.This behaviour, common among many animals, is called ‘moulting’ or ‘sloughing’ Not many people know that a puffin’s bill turns grey during the winter. Biologists believe that these vibrant bills are used to attract an appropriate mate, when not storing fish for later consumption. ![]() Because of this dazzling feature, the species’ nickname is ‘Sea Parrot’ or ‘Clown of the Sea’. How do Puffins in Iceland behave? What do Puffins look like?Ītlantic Puffins are instantly recognisable thanks to their colourful bills, reminiscent of cockatoos or penguins. Iceland’s official bird is the impressive gyrfalcon, a known predator of Puffins. ![]() For clarity, the Puffin is actually the official bird of the Canadian province, Newfoundland and Labrador. Thankfully, their new role as the island’s most recognisable mascot attracts thousands of visitors a year. Now considered an unofficial icon of Iceland, the birds have been crucial to life here for centuries as a food source. (Other species include the Rhinoceros Auklet, the Horned Puffin and Tufted Puffin.) Icelanders know Atlantic Puffins as “prófastur” (preacher), so named because of the black and white colouring of their feathers. There are four species of Puffin, though only the Atlantic variety travels to Iceland. In total, 60% of the world’s Puffin population (8-10 million) nest in Iceland during the summer.
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