Every person aspires to one day live in their dream house. Everyone has a different idea for their dream house. Some are big. Some are small. Some are secluded, and some are in large cities. Puffins have some of the same experiences in reaching those dreams as humans. In the Puffin Cave at the North Carolina Zoo, tunnels are open for newly wedded puffin couples to claim.

Exciting things are happing at the seabird exhibit.  Breeding season is over, tunnels are open, and the birds have fully molted. The birds are now searching for a tunnel to claim. They search for tunnels just like humans search for a house to live in. This can cause some conflicts between the birds now. In order to claim a tunnel, the seabirds must first have a mate. Most pairs have formed, but some are still looking. One couple claimed the island in the middle of the water, but that is a terrible place to nest because it is a vulnerable area to other birds, and it is not concealed very well. This is like building a house in a flood prone area and not being able to get insurance for it. The keepers forced the birds off the island so they were “evicted” from their tunnel. A new tunnel must be found for the couple now. The female is getting frustrated with the male because she is doing all the work searching for a new tunnel while the male is just sitting around being a slacker. There have been a few fights breaking out in the puffin cave. This occurs when a tunnel is claimed and then another bird infringes on that bird’s territory. The puffins defend their tunnels very aggressively.

                Two new “California Girls” have been introduced to the neighborhood. These “California Girls” are female puffins from California. One male has been checking them out, but neither one of them has found a mate yet. There is one female puffin that doesn’t think she is a bird. She thinks she is a human because she is not interested in socializing with other birds like her. She is more interested in the keepers. Her name is AJ.  One single puffin is trying to court her, but she isn’t cooperating with him.

                It is surprising how much seabirds are like humans. They have the same drama and stress that many humans face every day. They are fighting over tunnels and mates just like humans fight over houses and mates. Seabirds have different groups of friends that they hang out with just like humans have cliques. Puffins are definitely more exciting than the average bird.