Puffin chicks flood Vestmannaeyjar as numbers rise

A total of 1,493 puffin chicks had been registered in Vestmannaeyjar by Sunday, with numbers rising rapidly as the puffling season reaches full pace, mbl.is reports. Of those, 957 had been weighed.

The chicks had an average weight of 312 grams, well above the long-term average of 264.5 grams, suggesting a promising year. The heaviest registered chick weighed 610 grams, while the lightest weighed 220 grams.

Puffin chicks nesting in the cliffs around the town are attracted to its lights when they leave their burrows. For generations, children in the Westman Islands have gone out in the evenings to find the chicks, keep them safe overnight and release them into the sea the following day.

As darkness falls, children and adults can be seen around town carrying torches as they search for pufflings. People from elsewhere in Iceland and foreign visitors have increasingly joined the rescue effort in recent years.

Local children often allow foreign visitors to release a puffin chick into the sea, giving guests an opportunity to take part in a long-standing local tradition.

More than 3,000 chicks registered last year

A total of 3,283 puffin chicks were registered during last year’s season. It lasted unusually long, with the first chick found on July 29 and the last on October 2. The peak came on August 27, when 283 chicks were registered in a single day.

For comparison, the average weight was 243 grams last year and 308 grams in 2024.

People searching for puffin chicks are being encouraged to register every chick they find at lundi.is. The registrations provide information about the number, weight and condition of the chicks.

With 1,493 chicks already registered this year, the final total remains to be seen. The streets of the town are expected to remain busy after dark as children, residents and visitors continue the late-summer search.