Puffins have been in the news this week. Sadly, climate change might be the reason behind the crested or tufted puffins decline in numbers in the Bering Sea.
Although, I have previously used endangered animals as inspiration for ideas, when I selected puffins a couple of weeks ago for a new booklet that I am working on, it was purely because I have always loved this wonderful bird for their expressive clown-like faces and multicoloured bills. I thought that this bird would capture children’s attention and imagination. Using a biomimicry lens to study nature, its models, systems, and processes is important for several reasons, and highlighting the importance of the rich variety of species is one.
Puffins have puffed-up appearance and their chicks are fluffy. Puffins look almost like round balls. They are also called “sea parrots” or “tropical penguins” because of their brightly coloured beaks. In the winter, their beaks and their brightly coloured feet fade to a greyish colour.
Fabulous Observations to Spark New Ideas!
- Puffins are great diggers – they use their sharp claws on their webbed feet and sharp beaks to dig.
- Short wings are perfect when diving for fish.
- Can stay up to a minute under water searching for fish.
- They can hold at least ten fish in their beaks.
- It is more difficult for a puffin to hold a large fish since they leave the fish dangling to one side of the mouth.
- It is important to save energy. They catch several small fish each time since each trip uses a lot of energy.
- Their beaks have a flexible hinge so the puffin can control the degree of the opening of the mouth.
- There are spines, denticles, inside the upper jaw. The puffin holds the fish against the spines with its tongue so they can continue to hunt for more fish.
Why not draw a puffin or a couple of puffins in your biomimicry journal while you ponder over a great ideas using puffins as inspiration?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is biomimicry?
Biomimicry is the practice of looking to nature for solutions, then applying what we learn to design and problem-solving. Instead of inventing from scratch, it means studying how plants, animals, and ecosystems have already solved a challenge — like staying cool, collecting water, or absorbing carbon — and adapting that strategy for human use.
How does biomimicry help address climate change?
Nature has been adapting to extreme conditions for billions of years, so many organisms already hold working solutions to problems we now face at a larger scale — cooling buildings without electricity (termite mounds), collecting water in drought (the Namib beetle), protecting coastlines from storms (mangrove roots), and capturing carbon (corals, forests, kelp). Biomimicry means studying those solutions and applying the same principles to human design.
How can children get involved in biomimicry?
Children don’t need special training to think like a biomimicrist — just curiosity and a habit of asking “how does nature solve this?” Simple ways to start include a backyard scavenger hunt for nature’s patterns, a “design-an-animal” challenge for a changing climate, or building a small model (like a passive-cooling structure or a water collector) inspired by something they’ve observed outdoors.
Is biomimicry only for scientists and engineers?
No — biomimicry is as much a mindset as a profession. Anyone can practice it by observing nature closely and asking design questions. Professional biomimicry practitioners apply it in architecture, materials science, and engineering, but the same core skill — careful observation followed by “what if we built it that way?” — is exactly what this post’s classroom and family activities are designed to build in children.
Åsa Jomård
In 2015, Åsa completed a course in Biomimicry: A Sustainable Design Methodology at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. With over 10 years of experience exploring nature for inspiration and as a former member of Ben, Biomimicry Education Network, she brings both academic background and creative teaching experience to her work. Her materials seamlessly integrate stories, nature observations, and design challenges, making them perfect for inquiry-led learning in early primary contexts.
AI was used as a Thinking Partner.
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