Atlantic Puffin
Fratercula arctica

f8 @ 1/500s, ISO:1000, Nikon D3S w 80-200mm @ 80mm


\"Atlantic Puffin,\" Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.The beak is very distinctive. From the side it is broad and triangular but it is laterally flattened and, viewed from above, is narrow. The half nearest the tip is orange-red and the base half is slate grey. There is a yellow chevron-shaped ridge separating the two parts and a yellow, fleshy strip at the base of the bill. At the joint of the two mandibles there is a yellow, wrinkled rosette. The exact proportions of the beak vary with the age of the bird. In an immature individual, the beak has reached its full length but it is not as broad as that of an adult. With time the bill deepens, the upper edge curves and a kink develops at its base. As the bird ages, one or more grooves may form on the red portion.
Latrabjarg, Iceland
 
05/31/2013