10 Fun Facts About Puffins That Will Make You Love Them Even More

Puffins are one of Iceland’s most beloved birds—and for good reason! With their colorful beaks, expressive eyes, and charming personalities, it’s easy to see why people of all ages fall in love with these little seabirds. Whether you’re planning a puffin tour in Iceland or just curious about these fascinating creatures, here are 10 fun facts that will make you appreciate puffins even more.

1. Puffins Are Nicknamed "Clowns of the Sea"

Their bright orange beaks and comical waddles have earned puffins this playful nickname. Watching them hop around on rocky cliffs is as entertaining as it is adorable!

2. They Can Fly AND Swim Like Pros

Puffins are incredible fliers, flapping their wings up to 400 times per minute! But they’re just as skilled underwater, using their wings like flippers to dive and chase fish.

3. They Can Dive Up to 60 Meters Deep

That’s right—these tiny birds are expert divers! Puffins catch small fish like sand eels and capelin by diving deep and using their wings to "fly" underwater.

4. Puffins Can Carry Several Fish at Once

Thanks to special spines on the roof of their mouths, puffins can hold multiple fish crosswise while they keep hunting. Some have been spotted carrying up to 10 fish at once!

5. Their Beaks Change Color With the Seasons

During the breeding season, puffins' beaks become vibrant orange and red. In winter, the color fades to a duller shade—almost like they’re putting away their party clothes!

6. Puffins Mate for Life

These birds are romantics at heart. Puffins often return to the same partner each year, reuniting at the same nesting site to raise a chick.

7. They Nest in Burrows, Not Trees

Unlike many birds, puffins dig burrows into grassy cliff tops to raise their young. Both parents take turns incubating the egg and feeding the puffling (yes, that’s the real name for a baby puffin!).

8. Iceland Is Home to Over 60% of the World’s Puffins

If you want to see puffins up close, Iceland is the place to be. From May to August, millions of puffins come here to nest along the coast.

9. They Return to the Same Nesting Spot Every Year

Puffins are creatures of habit. Once they find a nesting site they like, they return to it year after year, sometimes for decades!

10. You Can See Puffins on Our Ocean Adventures Tours

Our family-friendly puffin tours from Stykkishólmur, Iceland offer the perfect chance to watch these birds in their natural habitat—with plenty of fun facts along the way!