Page 46 - World of Animals - Issue #29

Atlantic puffi n

Inside the Mandible

Atlantic puffi n Oesophagus

The distinctive feet and beaks of

Atlantic puffins have earned them
nicknames like ‘sea clowns’ and ‘sea Trachea
parrots’, but beneath their colourful
exterior is some incredible anatomy Lung

ATLANTIC PUFFIN
Fratercula arctica
Class Aves

Territory North Atlantic Ocean
Diet Fish
Lifespan 20 years
Adult weight 500g (18oz)
Conservation status

Spined bill
VULNERABLE
Using its tongue as a clamp,

an Atlantic puffin can catch

The puffins’ bright beaks several fish at a time, pinning

them against backwards-
don’t last for long facing spines inside its beak.
Puffi ns use their bright, oversized beaks in

courtship and to construct their nests. When they
are away from the coastlines during the winter, Sternum
they have no need for such prominent headgear Puffins have a large

and shed the blue-yellow plates. The bill becomes breastbone, providing a
smaller and duller, with just a hint of orange at the solid anchor point for the
tip. The feathers on the face also darken to grey. powerful muscles that move
the wings. These muscles

pull the puffin through the
water when it dives.
Wing muscles

Puffin wing muscles contain

slow-twitch fibres, which are
good for endurance.
Before
molt Webbed feet
Atlantic puffins spend most

of their time at sea, using
their webbed feet to steer
as they dive underwater.

After
molt

INFANCY JUVENILE MATURITY

Egg laid Hatching out 0 days Getting fat 0-6 weeks Left alone Fledging Sexual maturity First nest

Atlantic puffi ns burrow The male and female puffi n For the first few weeks, the 6 weeks 6-7 weeks 3-6 years 6 years onwards

into the ground to take it in turns to incubate adult puffi ns bring small A er around six weeks, The chick remains on the Atlantic puffi ns spend Pairs of puffi ns can choose to

create a deep nest, and the egg under their wings fish back to the nest for the adult puffi ns leave their cliffs for around a week several years at sea before reuse an old nest, or to build

lay just one egg inside. until it is ready to hatch. their growing chick. chick and return to the sea. before it is ready to fly. they reach breeding age. a new one from scratch.

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