Atlantic Puffins at Sea

Puffins live at sea and are well adapted to this lifestyle. They are excellent swimmers, using their wings to essentially ‘fly’ underwater while using their feet to control direction. They hunt a variety of small fish including herring, hake, capelin and sand lance. Puffins do not come to land outside of the breeding season, flying, swimming or riding the ocean surface throughout the year regardless of weather.

Puffins are incredible divers and can reach depths of 200 feet on their journeys to look for food. They often feed far offshore and spend the entire winter at sea!