© Getty Images

Adorable appearance -

Puffins are small seabirds with a distinctive, colorful beak. Their black and white plumage and large, bright orange beak make them easily recognizable among seabirds.

© Getty Images

The sea parrots -

Puffins are often called "sea parrots" due to their colorful, parrot-like beaks and vibrant plumage, which resemble those of tropical birds, adding to their charm.

© Shutterstock

Natural habitat -

Puffins primarily live along coastal cliffs in the North Atlantic, including regions of Iceland, Norway, Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and parts of Canada.

© Shutterstock

Excellent divers -

Puffins are exceptional divers. They can dive to depths of up to 200 feet (60 meters) in search of fish.

© Getty Images

Colorful beak in summer -

During the breeding season, puffins' beaks become bright orange and more pronounced. In winter, their beaks become smaller and duller in color.

© Shutterstock

Types of puffins -

There are four species of puffin, the Atlantic puffin, the Horned puffin, the Tufted puffin (pictured), and the Rhinoceros Auklet.

© Getty Images

Breeding season -

Puffins breed in colonies during the summer months. They nest in burrows, often made on cliffs, and typically return to the same site every year to mate.

© Shutterstock

Monogamous birds -

Puffins are monogamous, often pairing with the same mate for life. They form strong bonds and work together to raise their chicks, known as "pufflings."

© Shutterstock

Their courtship is filled with unique rituals -

Monogamous puffins engage in a courtship duet called "billing," where they rub their colorful beaks together in a rhythmic motion. Their displays also include head tilting, wing flapping, and synchronized movements.

© Shutterstock

Fish diet -

Puffins primarily eat fish, with sand eels being a common favorite. They're skilled at catching multiple fish at once, holding them in their beaks while flying back to their nests.

© Shutterstock

Incredible fliers -

Despite their small size, puffins are strong fliers. They can flap their wings rapidly, often reaching speeds of up to 55 miles per hour (88 km/h).

© Getty Images

Long-distance fliers -

Puffins are known to travel vast distances across the ocean in search of food, typically covering 30 to 60 miles (50 to 100 kilometers) between their breeding and feeding grounds.

© Shutterstock

Pufflings -

Puffins lay a single egg per breeding season, usually in May or June. The egg hatches after about six weeks, with both parents sharing incubation duties until the chick, or puffling, hatches.

© Shutterstock

Appearance of pufflings -

Puffin chicks, or pufflings, are covered in soft, grayish down when they hatch. As they grow, they develop a more compact body and a slightly smaller, less colorful beak than adult puffins.

© Shutterstock

Impressive migrators -

After the breeding season, puffins migrate to warmer waters. They spend most of their time at sea, only coming ashore for breeding.

© Getty Images

Social creatures -

Puffins are highly social birds, often forming large, noisy colonies. These colonies can consist of thousands of birds, creating a lively atmosphere on nesting cliffs.

© Shutterstock

Short-lived birds -

Puffins have a relatively short lifespan, with most living for around 20 years.

© Shutterstock

Light as a feather -

Puffins weigh between 11 and 17 ounces (320-480g) and are 10-11 inches (26-29cm) long, with a wingspan ranging from 18.5 to 24.5 inches (47-63cm).

© Getty Images

They struggle to weather the storm -

Extreme weather and storms can lead to mass puffin mortality, with cold, wet conditions flooding nests, destroying eggs, and making it hard for adults to forage, resulting in the death of chicks.

© Shutterstock

Puffin sounds -

Puffins make a variety of sounds, including grunts, chirps, and calls, especially during the breeding season. These sounds help with communication within their colonies.

© Shutterstock

Alcids family -

Puffins belong to the alcid family, which includes other seabirds like guillemots and murres. They are relatives of the auk, a flightless bird species.

© Shutterstock

Unique feet -

Puffins have webbed feet, which are ideal for swimming. Their strong, paddle-like feet allow them to "fly" underwater as they chase after schools of fish.

© Getty Images

Threatened by climate change -

Puffins face increasing threats from climate change, as warming ocean temperatures can affect the availability of their primary food sources, like sand eels.

© Getty Images

Vulnerable to predators -

On land, puffins are vulnerable to predators like gulls, and foxes. These animals sometimes raid puffin colonies, eating eggs or chicks.

© Getty Images

Famous for their clumsiness -

Puffins' awkwardness on land makes them famous for their comical clumsiness. Their short legs and upright posture make them appear particularly endearing as they walk.

© Shutterstock

Puffling season -

In Iceland's Westman Islands, the annual "puffling season" (held in late summer, around August and September) sees locals rescue pufflings that mistake city lights for the moon. These fledglings are collected and released at cliffs to find the ocean.

© Getty Images

Ensuring puffin survival -

This tradition, essential for puffin survival, helps guide the young birds on their first flight, ensuring their return to the sea. Families and volunteers patrol the streets, rescuing pufflings and supporting puffin populations.

© Getty Images

The threats to puffins -

Puffins face a bleak future due to climate change and overfishing. Rising sea levels and shifting currents affect food sources, while overfishing depletes critical fish stocks. This forces puffins to forage longer, resulting in poorer food for chicks.

© Shutterstock

The urgent need for conservation -

With populations declining, including a 70% drop in Iceland since the 1970s, nearly 90% of puffin colonies could collapse by 2050. Immediate action is needed to protect these vulnerable seabirds and marine ecosystems.

Sources: (National Geographic) (Greenpeace) (World Wide Fund for Nature) (NPR)

See also: Wildlife species that have gone extinct in the 21st century

© Shutterstock