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Summary
In the last five years the numbers of the sea birds has plummeted around Britain. In an effort to find out the reason, scientists will fit global positioning system (GPS) technology to puffins to work out where the birds go to feed in the winter, how they get there and how long they stay in different areas. Around 30 birds on the Farne Islands will be fitted with a tiny GPS tag, which are glued onto the birds' feathers. The scientists will then collect the tags a few days later and download the data. The information should provide clues to the kind of feeding grounds the birds have been to and therefore the threats they are exposed to. The birds will also be ringed and fitted with small time depth recorders to see how deeply they dive and sea temperatures. Puffins spend the winters at sea, floating, swimming and diving for food, coming to land only during the nesting season.
