Puffin body language

[shewhomust]

A puffin also communicates information in its manner of walking. If the puffin is walking rapidly with its head lowered it is saying, "I am just passing through and don't mean any trouble." This is called a low profile walk and is useful because the colony is very crowded and a puffin is often crossing another puffin's territory as it walks. The puffins that are guarding burrows usually assume a pelican walk position that has the puffin stand stiffly erect with its beak next to its body and using slow exaggerated foot movements. This makes the puffin look like a soldier on guard duty, which is just what it is doing by guarding the burrow.

"The puffin may also stomp its foot in place to show its displeasure."

Puffin FAQs from Audubon's Project Puffin

Comments

[helenraven.livejournal.com]

I suspect that "HOW DO PUFFINS COMMUNICATE WITH BODY MOVEMENTS?" is a Potentially Asked Question rather than a Frequently Asked Question, but it's an interesting and vividly-phrased answer.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Amazing birds, puffins.

We spent hours sat on top of Castle of Burrian on Westray just being continually amused by their antics one evening as they came in from sea. :o)

[weegoddess.livejournal.com]

D'awww PUFFINS.

J and I are waving to you from London; we've had difficulty in getting SIM cards to work in our phones and will keep trying, but we might just need to borrow your phones to make a few (local) calls when we get into town. I hope that's ok?

All is well otherwise...I expect that we'll be showing up on your doorstep at around 1:45-2:pm tomorrow...

::squeeing with excitement::

[durham-rambler.livejournal.com]

Looking forward to having you here, and we'll be tracking the train as it heads north. Look out for me at the station. No problem using the phones, and it would be so even if we did not have a package that means they are all free! :-)

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

Every website dhould have a page of Questions Which Are Not Asked Often Enough!

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

I am very fond of puffins, as you may have noticed.

It's wrong to anthropomorphise, but oh, so hard not to!