Are puffins edible?

Quick Answers

Puffins are seabirds that belong to the auk family. While they are not commonly eaten, their meat has historically been consumed in certain cultures, especially among indigenous communities in parts of the Arctic. Puffin meat is very dark and fishy tasting due to their diet of small fish and crustaceans. They have a very high fat content which can make their meat unpalatable. Most parts of a puffin are edible including their meat, liver, and eggs. However, puffins are not farmed for food but rather hunted from wild populations. Their conservation status is a concern and sustainability needs to be considered carefully. Overall, puffins are edible but not a common food source.

What are puffins?

Puffins are small seabirds in the family Alcidae. There are four main species of puffin:

• Atlantic Puffin
• Horned Puffin
• Tufted Puffin
• Rhinoceros Auklet (also known as a puffin)

They are found across the colder waters of the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans. Known for their colorful striped beaks, puffins nest in cliffside colonies and spend most of their lives out at sea. They feed by diving underwater to catch small fish, crustaceans, and other marine invertebrates.

Some key facts about puffins:

• There are around 22 species worldwide
• They are around 25-30 cm long with a 50-60 cm wingspan
• They can dive down to 60 m underwater to catch prey
• They mate for life and return to the same nesting colony each year
• They can live 20 years or more in the wild

Puffins are excellent swimmers and spend up to 80% of their lives at sea outside of breeding season. Despite their bulk and short wingspan, they are great fliers and clock speeds up to 88 km/hr. Their colorful striped beaks change over the year from grays to brilliant orange and yellow. Overall, puffins are highly adapted seabirds well suited to their marine environment.

History of Eating Puffins

There is a long history of eating puffins, especially among coastal communities where the birds breed. Archaeological evidence shows that Native American and First Nations peoples hunted puffins for meat, eggs, and feathers over centuries.

In Iceland, the harvesting of puffins for food dates back to the 9th century when Norse settlers established colonies there. Written records indicate that Icelanders regularly hunted puffins for food through the centuries. The meat was preserved by salting and smoking and eggs collected for food as well.

Across the North Atlantic, references to eating puffin meat can be found from Newfoundland to Norway and Scotland. Coastal communities relied on whatever food they could obtain from the sea and puffins were one seasonal food source. Their meat has been described as fishy or gamey in flavor.

While less common today, puffins are still hunted for subsistence food by native communities in parts of Canada and Alaska. The Inuit and other groups have traditionally harvested puffins when they come ashore to nest in the summer months.

Puffin Hunting and Conservation

Puffins are hunted by shooting or netting them during the breeding season when they nest in coastal colonies. Traditionally, most puffin hunting was done by coastal communities for local subsistence use rather than commercial objectives.

However, rising demand for puffin meat in restaurants has led to more commercial puffin hunting operations in recent decades in Iceland and the Faroe Islands. For example, around 5% of the Icelandic puffin population is harvested each year for export of the meat.

Puffin hunting on a commercial scale raises conservation concerns for some species whose populations are declining. The Atlantic Puffin has been assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List with populations decreasing.

Laws regulate puffin hunting in many regions including:

• A hunting ban in the UK since 1954
• Restricted seasonal hunting in Maine
• Protections on uninhabited US islands where puffins breed
• Daily catch limits in Norway and restrictions in some colonies

Overall, the sustainability of puffin hunting needs to be carefully monitored and managed to balance subsistence needs with conservation, especially for vulnerable populations.

Preparing and Cooking Puffin

Most parts of a puffin are edible, though the breast meat is the prime cut used for food. Here are some guidelines for preparing and cooking puffin meat:

• Skinning – Puffin skin and feathers are not eaten. After plucking feathers, remove the skin and entrails.
• Marinade – Their meat is often soaked in a marinade or brine before cooking. This can help tenderize and add flavor.
• Parboiling – Puffin meat may be quick parboiled before further cooking to start the tenderizing process.
• Smoking – Traditionally, strips of puffin meat are smoked over a fire which both cooks and preserves the meat.
• Stews – The meat can be used in hearty stews, especially useful for working with tougher pieces of meat.
• Roasts – Larger fillets of breast meat can be roasted in the oven.
• Grilling – Smaller cuts can be quickly grilled as they are naturally high in fat and prone to drying out.

Properly prepared, puffin meat is similar to other dark bird meat like duck or goose. The liver and eggs are also edible, providing extra nutrition.

Taste and Texture

The meat of the common Atlantic Puffin has been described as fishy or gamey in flavor with a very dark coloration. This is because puffins feed primarily on small oily fish like herring, sand eels, and capelin.

The high fat content of puffins also contributes to their strong flavor. Puffin meat has been compared to duck or mackerel in taste. Their liver in particular has a very strong flavor.

Puffin meat is typically tougher than other birds due to their marine muscle development from swimming and diving. Proper cooking helps tenderize the meat, but it remains somewhat chewy. The texture is comparable to goose or mutton.

The high fat and fish oil content also makes puffin meat fairly oily or greasy, which some people find unappealing. However, this fat provides good moisture when cooked.

Overall, puffin meat is quite robust and unique in taste and texture. It has been enjoyed for centuries in coastal regions but is less suited to modern palates accustomed to chicken and other domesticated birds.

Nutritional Value

Puffin meat has a high fat content which provides a fairly high calorie count compared to other meats:

As shown, puffin provides comparable calories and fat to salmon. The fishy taste reflects the high omega-3 content in puffins.

Other nutritional aspects of puffin meat include:

• High protein comparable to other meats
• Good source of B vitamins like niacin
• Higher iron levels than chicken or beef
• Low saturated fat and high monounsaturated fats

Overall puffin meat provides a nutritious package with a balance of proteins, healthy fats, and micronutrients that complemented the diets of indigenous Arctic people.

Availability of Puffin Meat

While puffins have been eaten for centuries, their meat today is not widely available or commercialized:

• Limited hunting means low supply, mostly in Iceland and a few other regions
• Not farmed and raised like chickens, turkeys, or ducks for mass production
• Most hunting is regulated and done by permits or for subsistence
• Conservation status of some puffins may limit availability
• Modern storage and transportation infrastructure has opened up some export channels from Iceland to restaurants overseas

Puffin meat can occasionally be found in North Atlantic seafood specialty restaurants that have access to suppliers. In Iceland, smoked and dried puffin meat can be found for sale as a local delicacy.

But for most people, puffin will remain a rare and exotic meat compared to widely farmed poultry, beef, and pork. Their habitats, reproduction rate, and conservation status do not allow puffins to become a reliable commercial meat option.

Risks of Eating Puffin

While eating properly prepared puffin meat poses no unique health risks, there are some considerations:

• Parasites – As with any wild game, there is a risk of parasites like trichinella unless the meat is thoroughly cooked.
• Mercury exposure – Ocean pollution can introduce mercury that bioaccumulates in seafood. Older, predatory fish tend to have higher mercury.
• Sustainability – Overhunting of threatened or declining puffin species raises ecological concerns.
• Preparation – Care must be taken to avoid cross-contamination when preparing and storing puffin meat.
• Allergens – People with poultry allergies would likely be allergic to puffin as well.

Provided the birds come from a sustainable source and the meat is properly handled and cooked, puffin can be eaten relatively safely. But care should be taken with any unconventional or unregulated food source.

Puffin Meat Alternatives

For people wanting to replicate the type of dark, oily fish taste that puffins provide, there are more widely available alternatives:

• Mackerel – This fatty fish has a similar oiliness and fish flavor as puffins.
• Smoked goose – Goose meat with its fatty dark meat offers a mouthfeel comparable to puffin.
• Duck breast – Farm-raised duck has a darker, fattier meat than chicken or turkey.
• Salmon – Fattier salmon like king salmon provides the omega-3 richness of puffins.
• Sardines and anchovies – These small oily fish offer a similar nutrition profile.

While nothing is quite like wild puffin meat, combinations of fattier fish and poultry can evoke a similar eating experience. Smoking, curing, or marinating the meat can add robustness.

For those near areas where puffin hunting is allowed, seeking it out from select suppliers may offer the real experience. But for most people, substitutes provide accessible ways to enjoy the essence of this unique seabird meat.

Conclusion

Puffins comprise a family of seabirds that while not commonly eaten today, have been a historically important food source for North Atlantic coastal communities. Their meat has a dark color, fishy and fatty flavor, and chewy texture. While not widely farmed or commercialized, puffin continues to be eaten as a delicacy in Iceland and by indigenous Arctic peoples. However, conservation concerns require care in ensuring any hunting is sustainable and properly regulated. For those wanting to understand the wild taste of puffin without hunting one, fatty fish and smoked dark poultry can provide a similar eating experience. Ultimately, puffins are edible birds that offer a unique glimpse into the culinary traditions of the far North Atlantic.