A puffin discovered this week in New Brunswick, Canada, has set a new age record at 33 years old. Identified on Machias Seal Island in the Gulf of Maine, the bird was originally banded in 1992. Daniel Oliker, a graduate student researching Atlantic puffin ecology at the University of New Brunswick, confirmed this puffin as the oldest ever recaptured in the province and one of the oldest in North America.
This remarkable finding surpasses the previous record of a 29-year-old puffin. The research team, monitoring puffins and other seabird species on Machias Seal Island since 1995, located the bird with its original bands from the early days of banding operations. They discovered the aged plastic band during a nighttime search in the burrows, a method used when the puffins are more likely to be inside.
The worn-out plastic band, clearly showing the band number, indicated the puffin was last sighted in 2007. Tony Diamond, the pioneer of the Machias Seal Island research program, commended the dedicated team for their perseverance in identifying the old band, emphasizing the extended research project’s significance due to this find.
The puffin has now been fitted with a new metal band for ongoing monitoring. This data is crucial for understanding puffin longevity, reproductive success, and adaptation to environmental changes. Despite enduring significant environmental shifts in the last two decades, this resilient bird continues to raise chicks successfully, showcasing the puffins’ endurance and adaptability.