The Puffins of Elliston

The small settlement of Elliston, situated up near the northern end of Newfoundland’s Bonavista Peninsula, is famous for two things: root cellars and puffins. I go there for one of those things: puffins.

I mean, sure, I guess that claiming the title of Root Cellar Capital of the World is at least marginally cool (and quite believable too: there are a reported 135 root cellars in Elliston, which has a population of just 315 people), but c’mon…they also have puffins!

The Atlantic puffin can only be seen in a handful of places on Earth, and Elliston is one of those places. Just eight kilometres from the lovely town of Bonavista there is a small island – well, three of them actually – that is simply covered in the cute little critters.

There is a small parking lot just a hundred metres from the entrance to Bird Island park (admission to the park is free, though donations are accepted. Parking is also free). From there just a short walk over the hill brings you to Bird Island itself, which is simply littered with puffins (plus a handful of seagulls). For interested parties, you can see a couple of root cellars along the way too. The things are everywhere in Elliston.

The first time I visited Elliston there were quite a few puffins in the park itself; I had to be careful not to step on one. But on subsequent visits (including this one in August, 2025) they have kept themselves to small, rocky Bird Island, which is just a dozen metres from shore (and to a lesser extent two more islands behind Bird Island).

Once summer comes to a close the puffins will all fly out to sea where they will remain for the rest of the seasons, only returning to land the following year in order to hatch their young.

And I expect to be back in Elliston to marvel at these fabulous birds with the same seasonal regularity.

Cute little buggers, aren’t they?