Atlantic puffins, Wales

Atlantic puffins, Wales

Along the rocky coasts of the North Atlantic, Atlantic puffins make their homes in burrows and cliffside crevices. These seabirds, with their black‑and‑white plumage and colourful beaks, are classified by the IUCN as vulnerable, as overfishing and changing ocean conditions reduce the availability of their prey. Each spring, they return to breed, laying a single egg in carefully dug burrows. Remarkable swimmers, they use their wings to 'fly' underwater when hunting small fish such as herring and sand eels.

During the breeding season, their beaks brighten in colour, helping attract a mate. Observing puffins in their natural habitat reveals a seabird perfectly adapted to both air and sea, resilient yet facing modern environmental challenges. A fun pop-culture twist: these charismatic birds inspired the 'porgs'—adorable bird-like creatures in 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi.' The filmmakers embraced their likeness rather than digitally remove them from a real ocean island set.