Iceland: Day 6 - The West Fjords - Puffins
June 30, 2004
- Puffins breed in burrows up to 2m long in the tufted grass at the tops of cliffs
- Puffins return to their same burrow every year
- Single puffins stay out at sea
- Puffins are very sociable and curious about their neighbours
- Puffins use their eyes as a means of communication
- Every year around 6 million puffins come to Iceland to breed along the cliffs from April to August
- Puffins are still hunted in Iceland for food. Only non-breeding puffins may be hunted
- Puffins are called 'lundi' in Icelandic
- Puffins belong to the auk family which includes razorbills and guillemots
- Puffins are the northern equivalent of penguins
- Puffins are not very good flyers... they land by putting out their feet and stop flying
- Puffins raise their young on herring fry
- Every year tourists come to Iceland in August to witness the night the young puffins ('pufflings') leave their nests.
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