Bird Stories - The Puffin Hunter: A Journey from Wonder to Wake-Up Call
The Puffin Hunter: A Journey from Wonder to Wake-Up Call
Lundey, a small, uninhabited island in Skjálfandi Bay, lies just 8.3 kilometres from Húsavík in northern Iceland. It’s the lesser of two islands in the bay, the other being Flatey. Despite its modest size, Lundey has earned its name—meaning "Puffin" in Icelandic—for a dazzling reason: every summer, over 200,000 Atlantic puffins descend upon its cliffs to breed, paint the skies with fluttering wings, and fill the air with their quirky charm.
We arrived by boat under the endless daylight of the summer, the Arctic Circle just 50 kilometres to the north. The experience felt surreal like stepping into a living nature documentary. Puffins soared from the cliffs, dove spectacularly into the sea, then returned triumphantly, tiny fish dangling from their beaks. Their antics amused the children, enthralled the adults, and filled our cameras with cheerful moments.
But that spell was abruptly broken !!!
Nestled within that raw beauty and avian joy, we saw something sobering: a man, perhaps a hunter or farmer grasping puffins in quick succession, dispatching them with a twist of the neck. Our guide explained that the island’s private owner has a legal license to hunt a limited number each year. A tradition, he said, rooted in history.
For many of us, especially the children, it struck a dissonant chord. How could this vibrant burst of life coexist with such an unsettling act? That moment sparked conversations onboard not just about puffins, but about conservation, ethics, and the choices we make to balance heritage with sustainability.
Lundey gave us far more than breathtaking views, it offered an emotional tug-of-war. A reminder that nature’s beauty is fragile, and our role as stewards is never passive.
Birds Around Me - Unfinished List (अपूर्ण सूची): https://birds.rekabira.in/p/this-is-list-of-birds-i-clicked-since.html
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