The Atlantic puffin is a funny bird with an unusual name and no less remarkable appearance. Despite their apparent clumsiness, puffins are excellent swimmers and spend most of their time hunting. It may seem that these birds are close relatives of penguins, because there is definitely some similarity in appearance. In fact, the puffin is in the family of auks (order Charadriiformes).
Our article will tell about the life of this unusual bird.
External features of dead end
The unusual name of the bird was not at all because of mediocre mental abilities, but due to the shape of the beak. It resembles a blunt ax or other chopping tool. Along with the scientific, the popular name is also quite common. Residents of coastal regions call the puffin a sea parrot - of course, also because of its outstanding appearance.
But the beak is not the only feature of this bird's appearance. The eyes deserve no less attention. Looking at them, one can seriously believe that the bird is seriously saddened by something. In fact, this is not an emotion at all, but simply a feature of appearance that absolutely every Atlantic puffin has. Photo of this bird in profile in the best possible wayshows an unusual look.
Sexual dimorphism in puffins is weakly expressed, only an experienced ornithologist can distinguish a male from a female. Birds of both sexes are gray-black in color, against which bright orange beaks and yellow spots on the cheeks stand out.
The Atlantic puffin, which rarely exceeds 30 cm in size, weighs an average of 500 grams. The wingspan of this bird can reach half a meter.
Where do puffins live?
The whole life of this bird is connected with the sea. The Atlantic puffin is found off the coast of northern Europe, in many regions of Iceland, on the Faroe Islands, and also on the other side of the Atlantic - on the east coast of the North American continent. There is evidence that this bird can also be found beyond the Arctic Circle.
Daily life
Atlantic puffin is a freedom-loving bird. The puffin spends most of its adult life alone. But before the onset of the mating season, the population gathers to build nests and create families.
In other periods, almost all the time free from sleep, puffin dedicates to hunting. These birds are not only excellent fliers, but also excellent swimmers.
Feeding the puffin
As you can easily guess, the diet is also connected with the sea. The puffin menu includes fish, crustaceans, molluscs. The Atlantic puffin obtains food through hunting skills, which it receives in its youth. Puffin's favorite delicacy is loach fish.
Mating season and breeding
In March-April, puffins flock to nests. They will meet the mating season here. Females and males of puffins get to know each other, begin to rub against each other, thus expressing their sympathy. By the end of spring, puffin beaks will change color from orange to bright red. This is a clear signal of readiness to start a family.
As a rule, new couples are engaged in arranging nests on their own. But in rare cases, they can return to last year's houses or take one of the empty ones.
For birds of this species life-long mating unions are characteristic. Dead ends rarely change partners. However, when the mating season is over and the kids are strong enough, the parental couple will part. Each of them will live alone until next spring, to meet again to build a new nest.
In the vast majority of cases, the female brings one egg. Hatching is done by both partners, replacing each other. The average hatching period is 40 days.
The dead end father also takes part in the upbringing of the chick. Parents take it in turns to hunt for food for themselves, their partner, and their baby.
Almost from the first days, chicks are taught to swim. It is noteworthy that during the day puffins prefer to hide offspring from natural enemies in the folds of coastal rocks. Children are taken to swimming lessons at night. In this mode, the life of babies proceeds for the first month and a half. When is this deadlineexpires, the parents leave the nest, leaving the offspring already able to hunt, fly and swim alone. Such a seemingly harsh school of life goes through every young Atlantic impasse.
Interesting facts
Scientists have long noticed some features in the behavior and way of life of these birds. For example, a couple preparing to become parents often digs a hole in a rocky area that is much larger than both its size and the dimensions of all enemies in the natural environment. In a mink 2 meters deep, the baby is definitely not in danger.
And the next dead end ability would be the envy of many divers. Under water, this bird is able to move at speeds up to 20 km / h. And the maximum depth of immersion of a dead end reaches 70 meters! One could call water the native element of the Atlantic puffin, but this bird feels no less confident in the sky. A flight of 100 km is a common thing for a sea parrot. At the same time, the bird easily tolerates cold.
Natural enemies
The Atlantic Puffin is a coveted prey for many neighbors. Many birds of prey live near the nests of the sea parrot: eagles, hawks, skuas, snowy owls. They encroach on puffins, and especially on young animals, even large gulls.
Some dangerous enemies especially like eggs and babies. That's why dead ends dig such impressive holes, that's why they hide chicks in the daytime.
Human factor
Currently, the dead end is of absolutely no industrial interest to man. Neitherthe meat, feathers or down of this bird are not considered valuable.
But human activity at sea has an indirect effect. Pollution of the environment, as well as industrial fishing of loaches, has a detrimental effect on the populations of these birds.
