Expedition Guide: Observing and Understanding Puffins

Two years ago, almost to the day, I observed my first puffin colony up close, witnessing their raucous calls, intricate social behaviours, and breathtaking cliff dives. It was not just a delightful experience and personal ambition, but as I have since learned, it was also a glimpse into one of nature’s most astonishing survival stories—a story that is playing out in the courts of Europe right now. 

Seeing puffins in their natural habitat is a thrill, even for the non-birders who board expedition cruises, made even richer by understanding their unique behaviours and respecting their space.

On your expedition cruise, be ready for moments of sheer delight: a puffin’s ungainly crash landing, the flash of silvery sandeels in a bright orange beak, and the quiet intimacy of two birds billing against the backdrop of the open sea.

Puffins are instantly recognisable and much loved by nature enthusiasts and photographers around the globe. Yet few realise just how extraordinary these seabirds are — how challenging their lives can be and how to see them in their natural habitats.