How do puffins hold so many fish in their bill at once?

Puffins can hold several fish crosswise in the bill and keep fishing for more. They manage this because of their anatomy, not just persistence. Structures on the tongue and the roof of the mouth point backwards and grip the fish already caught while the bird chases the next one.

Puffins hunt underwater, using their wings for propulsion and their feet for steering. Their prey is small fish such as sand eels, sprats, capelin and young herring. Carrying several fish in one trip is useful in the breeding season, when the chick waits in the nesting chamber for food to be delivered.

Sources

• Puffins
• Cornell Lab: Atlantic Puffin life history

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