Two Atlantic puffins, Elliston, Newfoundland, Canada

Puffins with a plan. Two Atlantic puffins in Elliston

In Elliston, Newfoundland and Labrador, Atlantic puffins, like the ones in today's image, draw onlookers with their black and white plumage and orange beaks. As well as in Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada, these seabirds breed in several countries, including Russia, Iceland, Norway, and Greenland. These 'sea parrots' have a wingspan of 47 to 63 centimetres and travel vast distances to mate. Surprisingly, the colour of their beaks changes seasonally; during the breeding season, it is brighter with a hint of yellow and orange. However, in the nonbreeding season, the beak sheds its yellow highlight.

During spring, Elliston's cliffs transform into bustling communities as puffins pair and construct burrows in the soft soil of the coastal slope to welcome their single egg. The puffin parents search for food and return with beaks brimming with fish to feed their puffling. Puffins face challenges, enduring threats from human activity like hunting, climate change and pollution. Fortunately, a growing awareness has led to steadfast conservation efforts.