Puffin

Puffin

We are delighted that Kurt Ringelmann has taken over the sponsorship of the puffin.

The puffin(Fratercula arctica), also known as the puffin, is a small member of the alcid family (Alcidae) with a body size of 26 cm to 36 cm. It is found on almost all coasts of the North Atlantic. Its range extends from the USA and Canada to Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard and Scandinavia. It can also sometimes be found on German or British coasts.

The body of the puffin is stocky. It has a short tail and short wings, as well as a large, massive head. As with many seabirds, the upper side of the body is black and the underside is white in colour. Its most striking feature is its large, narrow, triangular, brightly coloured beak, to which it owes its name.

The puffin's habitat is exclusively steep rocky coasts and cliffs, as well as small remote islands in the ocean. However, it is also able to survive for long periods, up to several years, on the open sea. Its main diet consists of various small schooling fish, which it catches with targeted dives. Squid, crabs and worms are also important components of its prey spectrum. A single puffin can prey on up to 20 % of its own body weight in a single day.

The puffin's breeding season is between February and July, depending on the area of origin. Puffins are strictly monogamous and breed in huge colonies of several hundred thousand birds. The nest is a self-dug cavity or a natural cavity between the rocks, in which only one egg is laid. The egg is incubated by both parents for around 42 days until the young hatch. It then needs another 40 to 60 days to fledge and leave the nest.

Although the puffin has a very large distribution area, its numbers have declined sharply in recent years. Its population is now even classified as endangered by the World Conservation Organisation. The reasons for this are manifold and have not yet been well researched. The introduction of dogs, cats and rats on many islands could play a role. Added to this are the effects of climate change and environmental pollution. In addition, puffins are heavily hunted on Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Fortunately, there are already a number of nature conservation projects that are working to preserve this species.