We went to the far eastern part of Iceland to see puffins. About 10,000 pairs of puffins nest every summer in Borgarfjörður. This place is known as the easiest and safest place to watch puffins in Iceland. We were able to walk and stand on wooden stairs and platforms where we could get really close to the puffins without worrying about stepping into a burrow or falling over a cliff, and they seemed very accustomed to having humans so close to their burrows. Puffins nest here from mid-April to mid-August.
The puffin is a long-lived bird, and the average life expectancy is estimated to be around 20-25 years. Puffins are highly social birds. They are believed to be faithful to their mates and generally pair for life. Puffins are excellent swimmers and can dive to depths of up to 200 feet. They are also strong flyers, and their 400 wing beats a minute can propel them up to speeds of 55 mph. They feed mainly on fish (sand-eel, capelin, and fry of various species), squid, and crustaceans and can carry up to 10 fish at a time in their bills. The puffin’s main enemy is the Great Black-backed Gull, which is capable of swallowing a puffin in a single gulp.
