Oil spills and pollution don’t only affect the birds directly. Oil is poisonous, and the birds also ingest it while attempting to clean themselves. Puffins are unmistakable birds with their black back and white underparts, distinctive black head with large pale cheeks and their tall. Thousands of Puffins have died after becoming covered in oil and losing the ability to fly and feed themselves and their chicks. Oil spills at sea are disastrous for many seabirds and animals, including Puffins. There are documented cases of complete nesting failure, where none of the birds in the colony succeed in raising a chick. The result is a lack of food in the vicinity of the nesting colonies, which ends in starving chicks. Increased ocean surface temperatures affect the bird’s natural food supply by causing disruptive changes to the ecosystem. Rising ocean temperatures threaten the survival of Atlantic Puffins. Read on to learn more about the major causes of their alarming population decline. Read along to learn more about the plight of these adorable seabirds.Ītlantic Puffins face many threats, which shows in their declining global populations. This article covers the conservation status and threats that affect Puffins. Their UK conservation status is red, primarily due to their worldwide decline. The two West Coast species are not classified as threatened, and the Atlantic Puffin of the Northeast coast is recovering after overexploitation around the start of the last century.Īcross the ocean, almost 10% of the breeding population nests around the United Kingdom.

However, the outlook is more positive around the coast of the United States. Their numbers have improved in some areas due to the efforts of conservationists, but newer threats like climate change and plastic pollution continue to threaten the species. Puffins are not technically endangered on a global level, although the Atlantic Puffin is classified as vulnerable. Like so many of the world’s birds, Puffins face a variety of threats, and the Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) is most at risk. These northern Seabirds occur in the north Atlantic and Pacific, where they hunt over the open ocean and nest on cliffs and islands. Want to see some puffins on your next visit to Maine? Check out our guide on where to see puffins on the Maine coast.Puffins are instantly recognizable with their large, comical bills and bold colors. Come visit us at the Maine Coastal Islands Visitor Center to learn more about these great seabirds and take a look at our new art gallery featuring the works of some talented local artists. One impressive puffin was spotted in Britain, flying with 62 fish in its bill at once! Get More Puffin Facts!Īt the Friends of Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, we’ve made it our mission to protect Maine’s seabirds and coastal habitats through our conservation efforts and educational programs. They use their spiny tongues to pierce the fish against their denticles, making it possible to bring back an average of 10 fish per trip. To help them catch fish, puffins have unique barbs on their pallet called denticles that help keep the fish in place while they continue to hunt for more. They also need to feed their young pufflings, who rely entirely on their parents for food. Puffins may only weigh in around 1lb, but these little carnivorous seabirds need to eat about 40 small fish per day to stay healthy. Puffins Have Specialized Beaks to Help Them Fish The rocky Maine coast is home to nearly 1500 breeding puffin pairs, with Machias Seal Island being among the best locations in Maine for seabird observation. The rest can be found among the rocky shores along the North Atlantic Ocean including areas of Greenland, eastern Canada, and as far south as Maine. Iceland is the chosen breeding ground for 60% of the world’s puffin population. Over Half of The Puffin Population Breeds in Iceland The female lays a single egg, and both parents take turns incubating it and raising their puffling over the summer. While puffins don’t mate for life like their penguin lookalikes, they are often monogamous with the same partner over their lifetime, sometimes 20 years! Every year, puffins return to the same nesting area and will recouple with their mate.

Once the season is over, they shed their outer bills until the following year.

Their signature vibrant orange beak and matching feet only appear in the spring during their mating season. However, you might be surprised to see a dull, grey-looking beak if you spot these little birds during the winter. The puffin’s bright orange bill is a well-known identifier of the species. Their Bills Change Color Throughout The Year

Puffin facts