Our group headed to Bonavista Peninsula to photograph the Puffins.   It was my first time seeing these birds.  

Puffins breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands.  These Atlantic Puffins have predominantly black or black and white plumage, a stocky build and large beak that is brightly colored during the breeding season.

In the air, the Puffins beat their wings rapidly (up to 400 times a minute) in swift flight, often flying low over the ocean's surface.

Puffins may only weigh in around 1 lb, but these carnivorous seabirds need to eat about 40 small fish per day to stay healthy.

Puffins don't mate for life like their penguin lookalikes, however they are often monogamous with the same partner over their lifetime, sometimes 20 years.  Every year, puffins return to the same nesting area and will recouple with their mate.  The  female lays a single egg and both parents take turns incubating it and raising the puffling over the summer.

Puffins have specialized beaks to help them fish.  They have denticles ( a type of serrated tooth) on their beaks, a locking tongue and a large jaw that helps them grab and hold lots of small fish crosswise.   They use their spiny tongues to pierce the fish against their denticles, making it possible to bring back an average of 10 fish per trip.  

To see more of my puffin photos please copy and paste the following link in your browser.

https://www.marshafouks.com/puffins