The puffin population on Matincus Rock is around 150 pairs now. By 1901, only one pair remained south of the Canadian border by Maine's Matincus Rock.īecause of protection by the National Audubon Society and the United States government, puffins have made a comeback. Later, puffins were taken for reasons beyond sustenance, as their feathers were used for pillow stuffing and hat decorations. As European colonists first arrived in the New England area, puffins were hunted for their meat. Humans also hunt puffins, sometimes with devastating results. Natural predators include gulls, sharks, and killer whales. Puffins nest along the coastlines of Russia, Norway, Iceland, the British Isles, Western France, and Maine east to Greenland. Both parents incubate the egg and feed the chick. During the breeding season, their bills become vivid and colorful. Puffins are colonial nesters that lay one egg each year. In the air, puffins are powerful flyers, beating their wings 300 to 400 times a minute to achieve speeds up to 64 kph (40 mph). One puffin was seen with more than 60 fish in its bill at one time. Their specialized bills are laced with sharp hooks that help hold fish. Puffins may dive deeper than 24 m (80 ft) to catch fish. The oil, once spread over their feathers, helps repel water.īesides penguins, alcids are the only birds that swim with their wings, rather than their feet. They also produce oil from a gland by their tail. A layer of fat acts as insulation while their feathers trap air for extra warmth. Puffins possess adaptations that allow them to thrive in the harsh, cold ocean waters of the Northern hemisphere. Humans hunted the largest member of this family, the great auk, into extinction by 1834. These birds, along with auks, guillemonts, and murres of alcids exist today. There are three species of living puffins: common, horned and tufted. Puffins are small seabirds that belong in the scientific family Alcidae. Status IUCN: Common puffin: Vulnerable Horned puffin: Least Concern Tufted puffin: Least Concern
Tufted puffin: the global population is estimated to number greater than 3,500,000 individuals. Horned puffin: the global population is estimated to number greater than 1,200,000 individuals. Population Common puffin: the European population is estimated to be 9,550,000 to 11,600,000 mature individuals. Sexual Maturity Approximately 3 to 5 years Life Span May vary by species Range Puffins nest along the coastlines of Russia, Norway, Iceland, the British Isles, Western France, and Maine east to Greenland Habitat Typically pelagic and found in the cold, ocean waters of the Northern Hemisphere. Clutch Size: Puffins are colonial nesters that lay 1 egg each year.
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