puffin

Everyday

A small black-and-white seabird with a large, brightly coloured orange and blue beak and orange feet; it lives on cliffs and islands in the North Atlantic. tree →

In the lessons

In nature lessons, puffins nest in burrows on islands (Skellig Michael in Ireland, the Farne Islands in England, Iceland, Newfoundland), dive for fish like sand eels, and carry many fish crosswise in their beaks. Their nickname is «sea parrot» or «clown of the sea». Phrases: «puffin colony», «puffin burrow», «Puffin Books».

Examples

• The puffin had six little fish in its beak. tree →
• Puffins nest in burrows on cliff tops. tree →
• We took a boat trip to see the puffins. tree →
• Puffins flap their wings very fast when they fly. tree →
• A puffin's beak is bright orange in spring. tree →
• Puffin chicks are called pufflings. tree →
• My favourite paperback has a puffin on the spine. tree →

Note

Countable: a puffin, puffins. Baby: puffling. Fact: puffins spend winter far out at sea and come to land only to breed. «Puffin Books» is a children's publisher.