The charming puffin—with its colorful beak and penguin-like appearance—captures hearts worldwide despite its modest size. These charismatic seabirds have become icons of coastal conservation and wildlife tourism, drawing enthusiasts to remote shorelines and islands across the Northern Hemisphere. Celebrating these remarkable creatures has become an annual tradition in many communities connected to puffin habitats.
Here’s a list of 15 destinations and experiences perfect for celebrating Puffin Day and satisfying your birdwatching curiosity.
Witless Bay Ecological Reserve
Just off Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula, this protected area hosts North America’s largest Atlantic puffin colony, with over 260,000 mating pairs arriving each spring. Boat tours operate from mid-May through September, bringing visitors remarkably close to these charismatic birds.
The reserve spans four islands where puffins create burrows in the grassy cliffs, diving dramatically into the waters for fish. Combined with sightings of whales and icebergs, this Canadian treasure is a truly spectacular wildlife viewing experience.
Vestmannaeyjar Archipelago
Off Iceland’s south coast, this volcanic island chain—particularly Heimaey—serves as home to Iceland’s largest puffin colony, with nearly 1.1 million puffins nesting during summer months. Local tour operators offer intimate experiences watching these birds dive from towering cliffs into the churning North Atlantic.
The dramatic backdrop of recent volcanic formations creates an otherworldly setting for puffin watching. The islands maintain a cherished tradition of helping young puffins who become disoriented by town lights during their first flights.
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Maine Puffin Cruises
Several tour operators from coastal Maine towns offer dedicated puffin-watching excursions to offshore nesting grounds from June through August. Eastern Egg Rock and Machias Seal Island provide exceptional viewing opportunities for the Atlantic puffin, which was successfully reintroduced after nearly disappearing from the region.
Marine biologists often accompany these trips, sharing insights about the decades-long conservation effort that brought puffins back to Maine’s islands. The relatively calm waters and established viewing protocols ensure minimal disturbance to these recovering colonies.
Látrabjarg Cliffs
These towering sea cliffs in Iceland’s remote Westfjords rise dramatically from the Atlantic Ocean, creating a prime nesting habitat for millions of seabirds, including thousands of puffins. Visitors can carefully approach the cliff edges during summer months for astonishingly close encounters with relatively fearless puffins.
The midnight sun during peak season allows for extended viewing hours amid truly spectacular scenery. The isolation of this location means fewer crowds and a more authentic connection with these charismatic birds in their natural setting.
Skomer Island
This uninhabited Welsh nature reserve hosts one of the largest puffin colonies in southern Britain, with over 30,000 breeding pairs arriving between April and August. Day trips from Martin’s Haven allow visitors to walk designated paths while puffins fly overhead or waddle between burrows just feet away.
The island’s accessible walking trails bring you remarkably close to puffin burrows without disturbing these protected birds. Evening boat tours around the island offer a different perspective as thousands of puffins return from fishing expeditions.
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Fair Isle
Located between Orkney and Shetland in Scotland, this remote island combines remarkable birdwatching with a living tradition of distinctive knitting patterns. Approximately 10,000 puffins nest on the island’s cliffs during summer months, sharing space with numerous other seabird species.
The island’s small human population maintains centuries-old traditions while welcoming wildlife enthusiasts to their extraordinary home. Staying at the bird observatory provides unparalleled access to puffin colonies while supporting vital research and conservation efforts.
Faroe Islands
This Danish archipelago between Iceland and Norway offers numerous puffin-watching locations across its 18 volcanic islands, particularly on Mykines. Traditional wooden boats carry visitors past towering sea stacks where thousands of puffins nest during the summer months.
Local guides often share stories of sustainable puffin hunting practices that have existed for centuries within these isolated communities. The dramatic landscape of grass-covered cliffs plunging into the North Atlantic creates a powerful backdrop for wildlife photography.
Staffa and the Treshnish Isles
These uninhabited islands off Scotland’s west coast combine geological wonders with abundant wildlife viewing opportunities, including thousands of breeding puffins from April through early August. Boat tours from the Isle of Mull bring visitors to Lunga, where puffins often approach humans with surprising curiosity.
The hexagonal basalt columns of nearby Staffa Island—including the famous Fingal’s Cave—add extraordinary geological interest to your puffin adventure. The relatively small crowds compared to other puffin destinations create more intimate wildlife encounters.
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Runde Island
Norway’s most famous bird island hosts approximately 100,000 pairs of seabirds, including substantial puffin colonies nesting high on grassy cliffs. Summer visitors follow hiking trails to designated viewing areas where thousands of puffins return with beaks full of fish during evening hours.
The island’s lighthouse and dramatic western cliffs create spectacular sunset photo opportunities during Norway’s long summer evenings. Local accommodation options allow multi-day visits to experience the island’s remarkable birdlife and coastal scenery fully.
Papey Island
This small, currently uninhabited island off Iceland’s east coast offers intimate puffin viewing opportunities during summer boat tours from Djúpivogur. Thousands of puffins nest among the grassy slopes alongside ruins of Iceland’s oldest wooden church dating from the 12th century.
The combination of cultural history and abundant wildlife makes this lesser-known destination particularly special. ts small-scale tourism ensures minimal disruption for nesting birds compared to Iceland’s more famous puffin locations.
St. Kilda Archipelago
This remote UNESCO World Heritage Site in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides hosts enormous seabird colonies, including thousands of puffins nesting among ruins of an evacuated human settlement. Expedition cruises to this isolated location offer determined wildlife enthusiasts a truly extraordinary experience far from mainstream tourism.
The archipelago’s dramatic cliffs and cultural history create a powerful context for appreciating these resilient seabirds. Few wildlife destinations combine such profound natural and human stories in such a spectacular setting.
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Farne Islands
Managed by England’s National Trust, these islands off Northumberland’s coast allow remarkably close encounters with over 40,000 puffins nesting among ancient monastery ruins. Boat trips from the fishing village of Seahouses operate throughout the breeding season, with some tours allowing landings on Inner Farne.
Rangers monitor visitor numbers carefully to minimize disturbance to nesting birds while providing fascinating interpretation. The islands’ long history of documentation by naturalists makes this an important reference site for understanding puffin population dynamics.
Haystack Rock
This iconic 235-foot sea stack at Cannon Beach, Oregon, hosts tufted puffins from April through July—one of the few places these birds can be observed from shore without a boat. Local conservation volunteers often set up spotting scopes during summer mornings to help visitors locate these colorful birds against the dramatic rock formations.
The accessibility of this location makes it particularly valuable for introducing children to the wonders of seabird ecology. The combination of beautiful beach, tidepools, and puffin habitat creates a perfect family wildlife destination.
Bay of Fundy Islands
Several protected islands in this Canadian bay between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia provide critical habitat for Atlantic puffins, particularly Machias Seal Island. Limited numbers of visitors can land on this disputed territory (claimed by both Canada and the United States) during June and July for extraordinary close viewing from blinds.
Professional wildlife photographers consider this among North America’s premier locations for capturing images of these charismatic birds. The island’s lighthouse and research station add interesting human elements to the primarily wildlife-focused experience.
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South Georgia Island
For the ultimate puffin adventure, expedition cruises to this subantarctic island showcase macaroni penguins alongside a different puffin species—the southern rockhopper—distinguished by dramatic yellow head feathers. Visiting this remote location requires significant investment in time and resources but rewards extraordinary wildlife density and diversity.
Former whaling stations provide sobering historical context alongside some of the planet’s most spectacular wildlife gatherings. The challenging journey makes spotting these specialized puffin relatives all the more meaningful.
A Legacy Worth Protecting
Puffin populations face significant challenges from climate change, ocean plastic, and fishing practices—making responsible tourism increasingly important for their conservation. These remarkable birds connect us to healthy marine ecosystems while capturing our imagination with their colorful appearance and charismatic behaviors.
Supporting organizations that monitor and protect puffin colonies ensures future generations can experience these extraordinary birds in their natural habitats. Our fascination with these “sea clowns” ultimately translates into greater awareness of broader ocean conservation needs.
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