Birds of North America
Puzzle 65 · Islands and Open Seas · Page 93 in print
Atlantic Puffin
An Atlantic Puffin can carry several fish crosswise in its bill. Backward-pointing spines in its mouth help keep the catch in place.
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The words
Bill Rubbing
A behavior that helps maintain the pair bond.
Burrow Reuse
Pairs often occupy the same nesting burrow in later years.
Capelin
A fish prey carried to breeding colonies.
Grunting
A male courtship sound.
Hake
A fish eaten by the species.
Herring
A small schooling fish included in the diet.
Maine
A state where restoration returned puffins to former nesting islands.
Mouth Spines
Backward-pointing structures help hold fish in the bill.
Rudder
The feet steer during underwater swimming.
Sandlance
A small fish commonly eaten by puffins.
Sea Cliffs
Coastal nesting sites.
Sprat
A small fish included in the diet.
Turf Soil
Soil beneath short island vegetation where burrows are dug.
Waddling
The side-to-side walk seen on land.
Wheeling
Nonbreeding birds circle or fly figure-eight paths over the colony.
Sources
- Atlantic Puffin: Life HistoryCornell Lab of Ornithology