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Maine’s puffin colonies recovering in the face of climate change

Atlantic puffins — clownish seabirds with colorful bills and waddling gaits — had their second consecutive rebound year for fledging chicks after suffering a catastrophic 2021, said scientists who monitor the birds. The news flies in the face of environmental trends, as scientists have said warming waters off New England jeopardize the birds because that reduces the kind of fish they need to feed their chicks.

The encouraging news comes as the Audubon Society is celebrating its 50th anniversary of tending to Maine’s puffin colonies, which it restored from just a few dozen pairs. There are now as many as 3,000 birds, and the population is stable, Lyons said.

About two-thirds of the puffins fledged chicks last year, Lyons said. The birds did not equal that number this year, he said, but they again had a better year than 2021 despite a less than ideal summer of hot, rainy conditions.