Horned Puffin

Originally uploaded by ConstantineD

Another fantastic horned puffin photo from Constantine D. Definitely worth seeing up close.

Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata)

Originally uploaded by ConstantineD

The Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata) is an auk, similar in appearance to the Atlantic Puffin; this bird’s bill is yellow at the base and red at the tip. It is a pelagic seabird that feeds primarily by diving for fish. It nests in colonies, often with other auks.

The yellow bill plate grows before the breeding season and is shed later. They have a small fleshy black “horn” above their eyes. They have a white face with a dark line extending from the back of the eye and red feet.

This species breeds on rocky islands off the coasts of Siberia, Alaska and British Columbia, in burrows, in rocky cavities or among rocks. It winters far out to sea. Feeding areas are usually located fairly far offshore from the nest. There is usually one chick and both parents feed the young.

Horned Puffins will return from hunting with several small fish in their beaks. They also eat squid and crustaceans.

The population of these birds has declined due to the introduction of rats onto some islands used for nesting.

Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata)

Originally uploaded by ConstantineD

Another fabulous photo of a Tufted Puffin by ConstantineD on flickr.

Female Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata)

Originally uploaded by ConstantineD

The Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata) is an auk, similar in appearance to the Atlantic Puffin; this bird’s bill is yellow at the base and red at the tip. It is a pelagic seabird that feeds primarily by diving for fish. It nests in colonies, often with other auks.

The yellow bill plate grows before the breeding season and is shed later. They have a small fleshy black “horn” above their eyes. They have a white face with a dark line extending from the back of the eye and red feet.

This species breeds on rocky islands off the coasts of Siberia, Alaska and British Columbia, in burrows, in rocky cavities or among rocks. It winters far out to sea. Feeding areas are usually located fairly far offshore from the nest. There is usually one chick and both parents feed the young.

Horned Puffins will return from hunting with several small fish in their beaks. They also eat squid and crustaceans.

The population of these birds has declined due to the introduction of rats onto some islands used for nesting.

Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horned_Puffin

Did he see us?

Originally uploaded by ippop

These puffins are playing hide-n-go-seek with this photographer, ippop from flickr. It is so much fun. Maybe they think since they can’t see him—he can’t see them. Puffins are quirky little birds, aren’t they?

Puffin

Originally uploaded by ippop

Another fantastic photo by ippop on flickr. This really is gorgeous!!

lundapysja (puffin) photo taken by Konný Guðjónsdóttir on flickr

A note from the photographer:

The story behind this picture is that I live in Westman islands, Iceland and in august every year the small puffins
fly to the lights in the town and the people (mostly children) go around and save them and send again to sea.

I found this one on my front door step one, one night when I come home and we put in a box for a night and the next morning we went to the shore to let the puffin go. But I took a picture of it before.

For few years ago we rescue a lot of puffins, from maybe 5 to 100 for one night. But now there are so few puffins that
it´s a luck to find one.

Thanks again to the photographer. You can check out this photo and more of hers by clicking here.

Photo by David Cheskin

A puffin at the Seabird Centre’s SOS Puffin project, a conservation project to reinstate puffins on Craigleith Island, near Edinburgh. Photo: David Cheskin

read more | digg story