Senseless thuggery among puffins is latest horror story of reality TV

• Puffins have long been popular for their colourful beaks – but a Shetland webcam has revealed they have a dark side. Picture: Getty

The thuggish behaviour was captured on webcam and shocked viewers around the world who witnessed it live.

The drama unfolded at the RSPB Scotland's Sumburgh Head reserve in Shetland where the webcam has been broadcasting images over the internet since spring.

Two cameras have been positioned at a puffin burrow and have proved a major internet hit with birdwatchers observing the antics of the puffins, known as the clown of the skies or "Tammy Nories" in Shetland.

They have watched the colourful birds eat, sleep and shuffle around, and followed the progress of a chick after seeing it hatch.

But the survival of the chick has been uncertain at times with viewers seeing it has been fed a rather poor diet as well as being subjected to the attacks from other puffins.

A fully-grown puffin has been spotted at least six times entering the burrow and pecking, kicking and attacking the youngster.

Experts say that as puffins nest out of sight in burrows, it wasn't known that this sort of behaviour took place.

The exact cause of the violence isn't clear, but it is believed that the attacking birds may be non-breeders who have taken a dislike to the chick.

Helen Moncrieff, RSPB Scotland's south Shetland warden, said: "The cameras have been a great success. They have really lifted the lid on the hidden lives of these playful birds, revealing all sorts of behaviour, from scenes of tenderness between parent and chick, to discovering the youngster enjoys snacking on live centipedes.

"But what we never expected to see was any violence. As this antisocial behaviour has been captured on CCTV, we have nicknamed the intruder 'Asbo puffin'.

"Thankfully, the chick found the strength to recover from the attacks and seems to be making good progress.

"It still has some downy feathers and is a little on the small side - possibly due to a poor diet of small and few sandeels - but it could leave the burrow any day now.

"It's been a privilege watching the puffins and we hope to do it all again next year."

Puffins lay a single egg, in late April or early May. Both parents incubate it for 36 to 45 days and it can take up to 60 days for the chick to fledge. The chick's egg was laid on 6 May and hatched on 15 June.

The webcam is part of the wildlife charity's 'Date With Nature' at Sumburgh Head, offering people the chance of a close encounter with nature.

So far, there have been more than 100,000 hits between the RSPB and Promote Shetland websites.

The link has turned into a Big Brother-type obsession for some people who watch the camera from dawn to dusk. RSPB staff have also learned that people have thrown parties for the chick hatching.

A couple from London also decided to take a holiday in Shetland after watching "puffincam", while staff at a dental practice in Hannover, Germany, have been starting each day by watching the live images.

One in ten of the world's puffins breed in the British Isles. The UK is home to 580,800 breeding pairs.

The main threat to puffins is the changes in distribution and numbers of small fish, while ground predators such as rats, mink and cats, introduced to breeding colonies, and pollution are also serious hazards.

To view the live puffincam go to www.rspb.org.uk/shetlandsummer.