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Puffins are part of the Auk family of seabirds that also include razorbills and guillemots. They can fly, swim, and dig burrows and are one of three species of puffin in the world. Over half the world’s population of Puffins comes to Iceland to breed. Iceland also has the largest Atlantic Puffin colony in the world. The Westmann Islands in the south has about 700,000 nesting pairs.
There are three puffin colonies close to Reykjavik City, situated on islands Engey, Akurey and Lundey and there are over 30,000 pairs between them!
Puffin populations and the populations of other seabirds in the south of Iceland have been decreasing over the last few years due to the lack of sandeels in the bay caused by increasing water temperatures.
| Average Length: | 30 cm |
| Average Weight: | 400 g |
| Wingspan: | 55 cm |
| Diet: | Sandeels, capelin and herring |
| Est. population around Iceland: | ~ 2 - 3,000,000 pairs (10,000,000 in autumn) |
| Residence Period: | April – Mid September |
| Nesting habitat: | Dug out dirt burrows on small islands or cliffs |
| Nesting Period: | May to mid July |
| Clutch size (No eggs): | 1 |
| Incubation time (days): | 36-43 |
| Fledging time: | 34-44 |
| Typical life span (years): | 18 |
| Age at first breeding (years): | 5 |
| IUCN world Status: | Vulnerable |
| Major Threats: | Climate change, hunting, over fishing, entanglement in fishing gear, predation, kleptoparasitism, pollution, habitat destruction |
| Other Names: | Lundi, Buthaid, Pâl, Lunde, Lunni, Papageitaucher, Pulcinella di mare, Maskonurzwyczajny, Papegaaiduiker, Macareuxmoine, Papagaio-do-mar, Lunnefågel |
This is the most convenient way to see the Atlantic Puffin from Reykjavík! We will take you to one of three islands just outside the city, where these charming birds are known to nest.
