Poorer feeding conditions at Hornøya – is it the start of the end for the puffins?
The Atlantic puffins breeding on Hornøya, North Norway, can no longer find as much energy rich food for their chicks as they did before, according to a recent study. A similar development in colonies further south is related to fledging failure.
Atlantic puffins, breeding on both sides of the Atlantic, feed their chicks with whole fish. Food loads can vary a lot between colonies, both in quality and quantity. The focus of this study was the growth of Puffin chicks on Hornøya in relation to the observed change in their diet.
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Contact person: Rob Barrett, Tromsø University Museum
Photo: Rob Barrett