Knowra Atlantic puffin Atlantic puffin The Atlantic puffin is a stocky seabird of the North Atlantic, recognized by its colorful breeding-season bill. It nests in colonies, usually in burrows, and feeds on small fish and marine invertebrates.
Alcidae : A family of seabirds that includes puffins, murres, guillemots, and auklets. The Atlantic puffin is one member of this mostly North Pacific and North Atlantic family.
Pursuit diving : Underwater swimming used by predators to chase and capture prey. Puffins propel themselves underwater with their wings while pursuing fish.
Sandeel : A small, slender marine fish that buries itself in sand and is important prey for seabirds. Sandeels are a major food source for many breeding Atlantic puffins.
Climate change and seabirds : The effects of long-term climatic shifts on seabird habitats, prey, survival, and reproduction. Warming seas can alter the timing and availability of fish puffins feed to chicks.
Seabird : A bird that obtains much of its food from marine environments. Marine feeding and ocean travel shape the puffin’s daily life.
Puffin bill : The deep, laterally compressed bill of a puffin, which becomes brightly colored during breeding season. Its shape and serrated palate help hold several fish at once.
Atlantic herring : A schooling North Atlantic fish that feeds on plankton and supports major fisheries. Herring and other schooling fish can be carried to puffin chicks.
Overfishing : The removal of fish from a population faster than it can replenish itself. Competition for forage fish can reduce food available near breeding colonies.
Auks : A group of diving seabirds in the family Alcidae, including puffins, murres, and razorbills. Puffins share the auk family’s upright posture and underwater pursuit of prey.
Atlantic puffin breeding plumage : The Atlantic puffin’s seasonal appearance, including a bright bill and contrasting head markings. The bill’s vivid breeding colors fade after the nesting season.
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