It's World Puffin Day!
- Xanthe Page
- 6 minutes ago
- 2 min read
It's World Puffin Day today, so what could be better than to take a look at some of the best stamps showing pictures of puffins?
Puffins are fantastic birds but they are also endangered so International Puffin Day helps to remind us that we need to protect and appreciate them.
I don't know a lot about puffins but I have been lucky enough to see some and they really are remarkable birds.
So, what about the stamps? There are more than you might think, and these are just some that I particularly like.
Of course, if you like stamps and you like puffins, you will probably know all about Lundy's stamps which have had pictures of puffins on them for nearly 100 years! Here are a few of my favourites.
These are just a few fantastic puffin stamps - there are many more. Which is your favourite? Is there another puffin stamp you like that I have missed out?
Even though these puffins come from all over the world, from tiny islands to big countries, they all tell the same story. Puffins aren’t just cute birds with colourful beaks — they are part of fragile ecosystems that need our care. Seeing them on stamps reminds us that they are important enough to be celebrated and protected, not just in real life but in the little pieces of paper we send across the world.
The reason World Puffin Day is celebrated annually on April 14th is because it marks the return of Atlantic puffins to their coastal nesting grounds from the open sea around the middle of April. Sometimes it is called Puffin Arrival Day and in Norway it is known as Luncomigan.
Puffins are sometimes seen as "the clowns of the sea" because of their colourful beaks and some places have fun events for World Puffin Day.
But it's also very serious because here in Europe the Atlantic Puffin is endangered due to pollution, rising sea temperatures and declining food sources. In Iceland the puffin population has fallen by 70% in the last 30 years. In the UK the situation is not quite so bad as there are places where puffin populations are quite stable, but overall populations have shrunk by around 25% since 2000. According to the British Trust for Ornithology, unless things change quickly the UK's puffin population could drop by up to 90% by 2050.
World Puffin Day isn’t only about learning facts. It is about noticing and appreciating these amazing birds. Stamps might be small, but they can carry big messages. Every puffin stamp is like a tiny ambassador, helping to spread awareness wherever it goes. And maybe, by collecting and sharing them, we can all play a small part in making sure puffins are around for many more days to celebrate.
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