13. Cute, little puffins can spend up to eight months on the waves.
Puffins are actually one of the three bird species of auks and are often dubbed sea parrots. They are specifically adapted to living on the open sea. They can spend up to eight months on the waves, never touching land as they sleep, eat, and drink out at sea. Waterproof feathers allow them to stay warm as they float at the ocean’s surface or swim underwater. Diving as deep as 200 feet, they swim by flapping their wings as if flying through the water and using their feet to steer. They obtain their meals by diving into the water and catching small fish, including herring, capelin, and sand eels. They supplement their meals by drinking salt water. These birds can swim just as well as they can fly, as their feathers are very adaptive for the water. They have a very stock build, providing them warmth as they dive into cold waters. Their bills are only a bright orange during mating season, and then they are shed to leave behind a duller beak.