Atlantic puffin

The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica), also known as the common puffin is one of the three extant species of puffins and the only one found in the Atlantic Ocean. Its feathers contains a black crown and back, pale gray cheek patches, and white underparts. Its beak is bright red and black and has orange legs. Juveniles have a similar plumage, but the cheek patches are dark gray, the head is not brightly colored, and its beak is narrower and is dark gray with a yellowish-brown tip. It spends the autumn and winter in the open ocean of cold waters, the puffin returns to coastal areas at the start of a breeding season. It breeds at Quebec, Iceland, Norway, Greenland, Maine, France, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and the Faroe Islands. The puffin nests in cliffs, digging a burrow and lays one egg. Chicks mainly feed on fish to grow rapidly. After 6 weeks, they are fully fledged to make their way to the sea. When on sea, they mainly prey on full fish, which it catches by diving underwater, using the wings for propulsion. Colonies are mostly on islands, thus having no terrestrial predators, however adults and fledged chicks are at risk of attacks by gulls and skuas. Despite having a wide range and a large population, the Atlantic puffin has declined rapidly, at least in parts of its range, resulting it to be a vulnerable species.