The puffins (Fratercula arctica) visit the Faroe Islands every year from mid April to the beginning of September. They spend the rest of the months at open ocean.
It’s believed that about one million puffins breed in the Faroe Islands during the summer period. They live on the sea and create colonies on the tops of cliffs, making burrows amongst the large rocks or in the ground. One of the biggest colonies can be found in the island of Mykines very close to the village.
Due to its large red, yellow and black beak the puffin is often called the Clown of the Sea or Parrot of the Sea.
They are about 26-29 cm tall, weigh around 400 grams and often live more than 20-30 years.
Puffins flap their short wings rapidly while in the air and swim well under water. They mostly eat small fish, such as sand eels, herring, hake and capelin. Thanks to their uniquely shaped beaks, they have the ability to carry a large amount of fish. The puffin’s raspy tongue holds fish against spines on the palate, while the beak is opening to catch more fish.
