A few years back I took a trip to Alaska with my dad for one of the best adventures of my life. During that trip we saw a lot of incredible wildlife but one of my favourites was a little bird that looked similar to a penguin. Of course it wasn’t a penguin but a black and white bird with a very colourful beak called a puffin! The locals in Alaska used the puffin to advertise everything! Tee shirts, mugs and my personal favourite the No Smoking sign that had a puffin with a line through it, get it… “No Puffin”!
These short, stocky birds fly surprisingly fast and can flap their wings at a rate of 400 beats per minute. They are capable at achieving flying speeds around 88 km/h (55 mph). Although, they are able to fly, the puffin spends most of its time at sea. When they don’t feel like swimming, they will just rest along the rolling waves of the ocean. I had a chance to see the puffin swim at the Alaska Sea Life Centre and was very amazed with the way they swam. You see if you took away the water, I bet the puffins would take flight. This is because they actually fly through the water. They flap their wings as if they were in flight and steer with their rudder-like webbed feet. This is a technique they have evolved to allow them to be proficient swimmers. They are capable of diving up to 61 meters (200 feet) although they generally only stay under water for 20 – 30 seconds. Swimming is an important aspect in the puffins life since they feed on small fish like herring. The next time you are swimming in the pool, I want you to dive underwater and flap your arms pretending they are wings. Let me know how well you swim!
Puffin Fast Fact: The colourful beak of the puffin are used primarily for attracting a mate. These bright colours will fade into a dull grey colour after mating season.
Thanks for reading and remember that this is a smoke free site so please:
Well, the weekend is over. Only managed to put on 3 extra pounds this year. I cut back. LOL.
The site is coming along nicely. Change is a good thing. It keeps everyone on their toes. Static is boring.
You.ve had some interesting facts the last while back. Always informative. Keep up the great work. TAke care till next time.
3 extra pounds is not too bad. You will have to make it up during the Christmas Holidays. You need your insulation for the long Fort Frances winters!
Thanks for the feedback on the site and the posts. As always, I really appreciate your comments!
Love your Puffin! At first glance I thought it was the fairy penguin that lives on the southern shore of Australia. Like you with the puffin; the penguin was my favorite and after reading your post I can see where I would probably fall in love with this little bird.
Great information, thank you Nathan for sharing it with us!
Lee is right – change keeps it interesting. I like the animal paws in your side bar information to the right and if I’m not mistaken the new tittles “Wild Visitors”. The large animals make the Wild Facts logo bold and the little guys make it cute – I like where you put the frog!
(Lee, if your still there – Your pictures are fantastic! I envy your ability to capture nature.)
A fairy penguin! Again, I am envious of all of the different animals and ecosystems you have had a chance to visit! You should start a blog with stories and pictures of all of these trips!
I really think you would like the puffin! They were cute in captivity (at the Sea Life Center) but even better out on the ocean in their natural environment.
Thanks for the comments about the site changes. You even manage to catch the subtle changes such as the titles… I am impressed.
As well, I completely agree with you about the photographs that Lee takes. He has a special way of capturing nature. Although, I have seen some pretty impressive photos taken by yourself! You have a knack as well!
That’s my nickname! My parents and I have been going to the beach for years. I was pretty little when my dad first started calling me that. When he saw the puffin for the first time, he thought it was a pretty bird, so I guess it stuck with me!
I can honestly say that I have never known anyone with the nickname “puffin”. That is a pretty good nickname! That is a great story though! Thanks for sharing!
You should be proud of the “puffin” nickname as they are truly an amazing animal!
Oh, all those writings are mine. I started a little writing book when I was nine years old. I’m now fourteen years old!
Very interesting – it must rival the humming bird for flapping its wings.
I think the humming bird still has it beat! Nonetheless, still an impressive bird!