Why do Icelanders throw puffin chicks off cliffs?

The puffin chick season has returned to Iceland, bringing with it a remarkable sight: people are tossing chicks off cliffs. This may sound incredibly cruel, but those who honor this ancient tradition are, in fact, kind-hearted individuals. They help the young birds navigate away from the blinding city lights and find their way. This sacred act of tossing puffins primarily takes place in the Westman Islands community, where these birds nest in large numbers. Here lies the largest puffin colony in Europe. Intelligent, experienced, and beautiful adult birds build their nests along the cliffs to protect their offspring. When the time comes for the chicks to leave the nest, they head to the sea, where they will spend the first few years of their lives. This initial adult adventure begins at night when the birds can use the moonlight as a guide. However, artificial lighting complicates this journey. As a result, the chicks sometimes mistake the city lights deep within the island for the moon. This misjudgment often leads them to end up on the streets or in the harbor, which is far from ideal.

Fortunately for the birds, the residents of Iceland are great admirers of puffins. Special rescue teams have even been organized for this purpose. Ordinary families also frequently come to the aid of the chicks, as reported by IFLScience. In a single night, a skilled rescuer can catch around ten chicks. The key is to scoop up the bird before it gets stuck somewhere or flies off course. Notably, the harbor is equipped with nets to catch birds that land on the water, as oil can damage their feathers, leading to drowning.

During puffin season, the Westman Islands community is filled with a festive atmosphere. At night, people wander the streets in search of chicks in need of help. The phrase “tossing off the cliff” sounds quite dramatic, but in reality, it refers to assisting chicks that are too exhausted to take flight on their own. Once airborne with human support, the little feathered ones instinctively know what to do next. Typically, the chicks are placed into boxes and transported to the southern side of the island. There, the cliffs and air are filled with hundreds of adult puffins. It is here that one can witness a breathtaking spectacle: people release the chicks one by one into the wild. Rescuers—both children and adults—toss the birds high into the air. As soon as the puffins find themselves above the cliffs, their wings begin to flap rapidly, and they soar off toward the ocean.