Where To See Puffins In Scotland
Puffins can be seen in northern territories across the globe, and in some cases, as far south as California. In this post, we'll be focusing on where to see puffins in Scotland, which has one of the biggest populations in the world.
Believe it or not, puffins are NOT members of the penguin family. They are part of the "Auk" family of birds and live in the ocean for most of the year, only coming ashore in the spring and early summer in order to breed.
The Atlantic puffins that you see in Scotland can also be seen in Canada, the northern regions of the U.S, the western coast of Europe, and the northern part of Russia.
Their bright red and yellow bills are one of the reasons puffins are affectionately called the "clowns of the sea", but it's also due to their awkwardness on land.
That all changes under the sea, where puffins are able to dive 60 meters under the waves to catch food in the blink of an eye.
Puffins can live up to 20 years and while the species isn't endangered, it is classed as vulnerable. With over six million of these seabirds scattering the ocean, they're going nowhere fast, but their numbers have drastically reduced in recent years.
In this post, we'll be letting you know the eight best places to see puffins in Scotland.
When To See Puffins In Scotland
Puffins are in Scotland for one reason — to mate. These sea birds choose a lifelong mate when they are between three and five years old, although most don't start breeding until the age of five.
Around April is when puffin colonies pop up along the shores of Scotland, and the breeding season begins.
Each couple builds their own burrows in rocky cliffs which they will often visit every year.
The incubation period of a puffin egg is 40 days and the parents take turns to keep it warm during this time. Once the chick hatches, they spend a further 45-60 days in the burrow until they are able to fly.
Puffin colonies usually leave Scotland in August to spend the rest of the year at sea.
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Facts About Puffins
Puffins are small for seabirds and measure just 25cm in length.
The auks have been known to live up to 40 years.
During the winter months, when puffins aren't swimming or diving for food, they sit on the water to rest.
Puffins' beaks change color throughout the year. Known for the bright orange bill, during the winter it turns grey. When spring comes around and the mating season begins, the beaks regain their vibrancy. The hue of the beaks is said to help the puffins attract mates.
Puffins can almost move as fast as a car! The small but mighty seabirds can travel up to 88km per hour by flapping their wings frantically up to 400 times a minute.
The greatest predator of the puffin is the great-black backed Gull.
Puffins are affected by overfishing too. A shortage of food in the sea has led to a decline in the number of seabirds over recent years.
There are four species of puffin — the Atlantic puffin, the tufted puffin, the horned puffin, and the rhinoceros auklet.
Between eight and ten million puffins inhabit Iceland every year.
Puffin burrows are similar to rabbit burrows and are up to one meter deep.
Puffins can't fly unless they are in view of the ocean.
A puffin weighs about the same as a can of coke.
Where To See Puffins In Scotland
Atlantic puffins prefer colder climates, which is why there are plenty of locations where it's possible to see puffins in Scotland. The clowns of the sea have been seen as far south as Morocco, but tend to stick to cooler temperatures, with 60% of the world's puffins population living on or near Iceland.
Here are eight places you can catch a sighting of puffin colonies in Scotland.
Sumburgh Head
An RSPB reserve, Sumburgh Head is one of the best places to see puffins in Scotland.
You can get up close and personal with the seabirds, often being able to watch them from just a few meters away.
The area is teaming with life both in the air where seabirds including puffins, guillemots, and razorbills circle, and under the sea where you can catch glimpses of whales, seals, and dolphins as they frolic in the waves.
Thousands of puffins dot the shores of Sumburgh Head from mid-April to mid-August.
Isle of May
There's no shortage of puffins on the Isle of May, with up to 100,000 of the seabirds calling the island home during the mating season. The entire island is a national nature reserve, and the only people that live on the Isle Of May are the wardens that monitor the species over the spring and summer months.
Unlike many of the best destinations for seeing puffins in Scotland, the Isle of May is easy to access from the North Berwick on the southeast coast.
Strathy Point
Strathy Point is a surefire place to see colonies of puffins as it lies under one of the biggest migration routes.
When visiting Strathy Point, avoid exploring during the middle of the day when puffins are usually in their burrows. For other parts of the day, you can see them catching fish or wandering around the cliffs.
Those who come to Strathy Point to see these seabirds will also be rewarded with sightings of kittiwake, great skua, and ringed plovers among others.
Seals, whales, and porpoises also rear their heads from time to time.
Handa Island
Over 500 puffins line the cliffs of Handa Island and it's one of the most accessible places to see puffins in Scotland.
Located just a short ferry ride off the coast of Tarbet, you can walk around the island in around an hour.
Nature lovers will rejoice at the unspoiled scenery of the island, which is only beaten by the 150 species of birds, including guillemots, great skuas, razorbills, and of course Atlantic puffins.
Looking out to sea, you may be blessed with a rare sighting of an orca or shark. More common sightings include bottlenose dolphins and seals.
The Treshnish Isles
The Treshnish Isles are another place where birdwatchers can observe puffins, although the seabirds are just as interested in the humans who come to the islands.
Lunga and Staffa are the chosen spots in this archipelago of eight islands, that provide a home for the puffins during the summer, and locals lovingly refer to watching the birds as "puffin therapy".
Aside from the puffins and many other seabirds, the islands are uninhabited and protected under Scottish law.
Fidra Island
Fidra Island is located in the Firth of Forth, which is an estuary that flows into the north sea between Fife and West Lothian. The best way to see puffins and other birds including shags and gannets is by a wildlife boat trip.
Gannets are the most populous birds in the region, with over 150,000 living on the Forth islands for part of the year.
Puffins are also plentiful in the region, numbering around 90,000. If you visit in June, you have the best chance of seeing Atlantic puffins feeding their chicks.
Fidra has been an excellent island for spotting puffins since the removal of Tree Mallow, often referred to as a 'grow-your-own' toilet paper. In recent years, the Tree Mallow, exploded on the island, becoming overgrown and blocking puffin nests. This caused puffin numbers to drop off, but since the removal of the Mallow by volunteers, the birds have flocked back to the island in their thousands.
Craigleith
Another place that lost masses of its puffin numbers due to Tree Mallow is the island of Craigleith.
28,000 pairs of Atlantic puffins created burrows on the island before 1999, but the invasive plant threatened the species that live in the area for part of the year.
1,300 volunteers have sought to address this issue on Craigleith as well as neighboring islands of Fidra, and the Lamb over the last few years.
The puffin population that dropped to just 1,000 pairs is now thriving again thanks to their hard work.
It's not just puffins that breed on Craigleith island — if you visit at the right time you can see cormorant, shag, and guillemot chicks.
St Kilda
St Kilda is one of the most remote spots to see puffins in Scotland. The island, which is over 40 miles west of the Outer Hebrides, is home to thousands of seabirds over the year, including puffins.
50% of the UK's population of puffins choose At Kilda as their mating ground, and you won't have to look far to see them. Over 600,000 puffins roam the island, which they share with other seabirds, including storm petrels, Manx Shearwaters, and fulmars. This brings the total seabird population to over one million, making it worth the trek to the distant isle.
St Kilda is a dual UNESCO World Heritage site, both for its natural and cultural significance. There are only 35 sites across the world that have this dual status, including Machu Picchu.
More Places To See Puffins In Scotland
There are plenty of places to see puffins in Scotland. Here are some other locations that the auks like to call home.
Orkney
Shetland
Bass Rock, East Lothian
Duncansby Head
Faraid Head
St. Abbs Head
Where Else To See Puffins Around The World
Puffins are seen in many places around the world, not just in Scotland. They live in northern territories, and if you live in the U.S or Canada, you can catch a glimpse of these seabirds without crossing the Atlantic. Here are some of the top global destinations for puffin sightings:
Lundy Island, England
Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
Nuuk, Greenland
Mykines, Faroe Islands
Farne Islands, England
Coastal Maine, United States
Les Sept-Îles, France
Papey Island, Iceland
Final Thoughts On Seeing Puffins In Scotland
Now we’ve filled you in on where to see puffins in Scotland, we hope you’re a bit more clued up on your best chances of spotting these seabirds. There are plenty of places you can see these winged creatures, and where there’s one, there are usually thousands more.
You can only see one species in Scotland, — the Atlantic puffin, but there are plenty of other interesting seabirds that flock to shores all across the country, to safely bring chicks into the world.
If you visit later in the season, you may well catch a glimpse of baby chicks taking their first few steps or learning to fly.
Speaking for ourselves, “puffin therapy” sure does sound like a great way to unwind.