![]() Sometimes an onlooking male will rush in and upset them, resulting in a fight between the males.īilling is common during the early breeding season but continues throughout their brief stay on land. This goes on for a minute, with brief intervals. At the same time, they lower and raise their heads together, while still bill-rubbing. Then both come together and start wagging their heads side to side, so their bills rattle against each other. Billing behaviour is a courtship display where puffins pair rattle their beaks together. When the pair arrives they perform billing. Their reunion is marked with a unique courtship display as they reconnect. Although monogamous, puffin couples might spend time apart outside the breeding season. Puffin couples return to their matrimonial home every breeding season. This phenomenon lasts for the entire breeding season helping male puffins stand out to searching females looking for a mate. Recent research reveals that the bills of the Atlantic puffin glow in ultraviolet light which can be seen by other puffins. This trait correlates to a males health, hunting prowess and successful experience in raising young. Mature male puffins with bigger and more colourful beaks are identified by females as more attractive. The first of many changes of colour as the male puffin prepares itself to enamour its female counterpart during the summer breeding season.Īs puffins mature, its colours take on a more vibrant hue and its beak size, now broader making them better hunters. Spring brings warmth to the cooler of Atlantic puffin as its beak and beaks take on a vibrant shade of orange. Over the somber months of winter, the male beak mirrors the season spotting a dull grey appearance. The puffin’s colourful beak helps the male appear more attractive to a female. Often a puffin would identify the densest cluster of puffins at sea best fishing grounds. Living within a social community facilitates the act of hunting. The challenge for a female puffin is to sift through the riff raff to identify a strong, reliable male to start a family with. Atlantic puffins are monogamous birds, meaning they mate for life. These same numbers allow options for a discerning female when looking for a suitable mate. Puffins were found living in large nesting colonies which provided safety in numbers. The first known fossil of a puffin-like bird dates back 5 million years. Climate change, overfishing, pollution and the introduction of invasive predators present continuing challenges to the puffins’ fight for survival. In spite of their seemingly thriving numbers, the population of the Atlantic puffin is in sharp decline. They come ashore only to breed in large colonies on islands and mainland coastal areas of Britain and Ireland. The Atlantic puffin lives throughout the North Atlantic Ocean. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |