Atlantic puffin, Iceland

© Peter Hering/Minden Picture

Atlantic puffin, Iceland

Meet the Atlantic puffin! Known as 'sea parrots' or 'clowns of the sea,' a major portion of these birds' population is found on the coasts of Iceland. If you visit at the right time of year, in June to September, you may witness baby puffins being flung off a cliff. While this might cause alarm, it's part of puffling season, a yearly tradition on Iceland's Westman Island, which is the largest puffin colony in the world. Residents search with a flashlight for lost or wayward pufflings—baby puffins—around cliffs, harbours and the seaside area. They then pick them up with gloved hands, bring them to a cliff before sundown and toss them over so that they can make their way to the sea for the first time. The lights of the town can cause the pufflings to be misled at night, so residents are doing their part to resolve this human interference, ensuring pufflings journey on into their natural habitat.