Puffin

Description:

The Puffin is a distinctive bird easily recognizable by its orange bill, black face, and colorful beak. They have a plump appearance with short wings and tail. Puffins have a white breast and belly with blackish-grey back and wings. During the mating season, they will develop a distinguishing black bar that runs from the base of the bill through the eye to the back of their head.

What they eat:

Puffins are carnivorous birds that primarily feed on small fish, including sand eels, herring, and capelin. They catch their prey by swimming underwater, using their wings to paddle, and their webbed feet to steer.

Habitat:

The Puffin is a seabird that spends most of its life at sea, only returning to land during the breeding season. They can be found nesting in burrows on rocky cliffs and islands along the coastlines of Ireland.

Size and wingspan:

The Puffin is a medium-sized bird, measuring about 10 inches in length and weighing around 12-14 ounces. They have a wingspan of approximately 20 inches.

Male and female difference:

Male and female Puffins look very similar, and it is difficult to tell them apart. However, the male is generally slightly larger than the female.

Where to find:

Puffins can be found in the coastal areas of Ireland, with the highest concentrations of them residing in the Atlantic puffin colonies of Skellig Michael, Skerries, and Saltee Islands.

What months can be found in Ireland:

Puffins arrive in Ireland in early April to start their breeding season, and they can be found until late July or early August.

Interesting notes:

Puffins are known for their distinctive behavior of rubbing their bills together, which is thought to be a courtship display. They also possess an incredible ability to navigate, using the Earth's magnetic fields to guide them when they are out at sea. The beautiful and colorful beak of a Puffin also serves an essential purpose, allowing them to carry and transport multiple fish at once, making feeding their chicks much more efficient.