25 Apr 2024
The puffin in Ireland can be seen in places such as Skellig Rock, off the of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher in Co. Clare , the Saltee Islands, off the coast of Wexford and in Horn Head in Co. Donegal. They can be found in those places between March and September and then in winter they tend to go far out to see and are rarely sighted.
They eat mainly fish and crustaceans. Hake, Herring and sand eel are their preferred food
They are small stocky birds, approx. 12 inches long with a wing span of about 20/24 inches. They are black on top and white underneath with a red and yellow triangular bill and white around the eyes. It has light orange webbed feet. Their bill will change colour to a gray in winter.
They are sometimes nicknamed "Parrots of the Sea"" I wonder why!!!
We are currently beginning to etch native birds of Ireland on our slate. We now have the barn owl and the puffin. We'll continue to add to this so keep an eye.
