The Atlantic puffin is one of three species of puffins, Atlantic, tufted, and horned puffins. The scientific name for the Atlantic puffin is Fratercula artica. Fratercula comes from the latin word for friar which refers to the black and white feathers resembling friar’s robes. Puffins get their name from the swollen or puffy look of the chicks. When puffins are young they look like little puffs balls. The Atlantic puffin is the only one of the species native to the Atlantic Ocean. Tufted puffins and horned puffins live in the northeastern Pacific. Atlantic puffins spend most of there life on the water but migrate to Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland, and other north Atlantic islands for breeding. 60% percent of the world population of Atlantic…show more content… Puffins breed and nest in big colonies. Both the male and female take turns digging tunnels for nesting. The birds dig out holes on the hill side and sometimes fill the tunnel with nesting material. Digging nest is one way that puffins bond, the other is a practice called billing. Billing is when a male a female approach each other moving there heads side to side and rattling their beaks together. This is a very important element in puffin’s courtship. Puffin usually lay their eggs in April. Female lay one single egg at a time and will only lay one egg each year. If the egg is lost early in the breeding season, some birds can produce another. Both parent care for the young. Males are more in charge of maintaining the nest and gauging the egg, while the females incubate and feed the chick. Puffins have two feather free patches on their undersides which has an enhanced blood supply which helps with intubation of the eggs. Egg will be intubated for about 40-45 days before they hatch. When chicks hatch they are covered in black fluffy feathers, the eyes are open, and the chicks can stand as soon as they hatch. Puffin chicks take 34 to 50 days for there feathers and muscles to develop enough for them to take