Atlantic Puffin: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Penguins and Puffins · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. Puffins 'fly' underwater: they paddle with their semi-extended wings and use their feet as a rudder.
2. In one dive a puffin can grab several small fish, pinning the first ones in its beak with its grooved, muscular tongue.
3. An adult puffin needs an estimated 40 small fish a day, most around 7 cm long.
4. Puffin pairs bond by billing: they wag their heads from side to side and rattle their beaks together.
5. Inside its burrow, a puffin makes a growling sound somewhat like a chainsaw being revved up.

The quiz

1. What does a puffin use as a rudder when swimming underwater?

• Its tail
• Its beak
• Its feet (correct)
• Its head

Puffins steer underwater with their feet as a rudder.

2. What holds the first fish in place while a puffin catches more?

• Its muscular, grooved tongue (correct)
• Its webbed feet
• Its stiff tail
• Its sharp claws

A puffin holds the first fish in place with its muscular, grooved tongue.

3. About how many fish does an adult puffin need each day?

• About 12
• About 80
• About 120
• About 40 (correct)

An adult puffin needs about 40 fish a day.

4. How do puffin pairs strengthen their bond by billing?

• They swap fish
• They wag their heads and rattle their beaks together (correct)
• They preen each other's feathers
• They sing duets

Billing means wagging heads from side to side and rattling beaks together.

5. What does a puffin's growl in its burrow sound like?

• A purring cat
• A squeaky door
• A chainsaw being revved up (correct)
• A barking dog

In its burrow a puffin growls somewhat like a chainsaw being revved up.

More about the Atlantic Puffin

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries