Puffin

Atlantic puffins breed along both coasts and on many islands of the North Atlantic. Their North American breeding range centres on the Newfoundland and Labrador coasts. Horned (F. corniculata) and tufted puffins (F. cirrhata) occur in the Bering Sea and the north Pacific Ocean. Both breed in coastal colonies from eastern Siberia and northwestern Alaska south to the Aleutian Islands and BC. Tufted puffins also breed in BC, Washington, Oregon and California. Both adults and immatures winter offshore, but where they spend the 7-8 months before returning to the colony is poorly known.

Puffins are highly colonial in breeding season, usually nesting in burrows in grassy slopes or flattish ground, sometimes in rock crevices and boulder skree. They first breed when 4-5 years old, a pair normally remaining together for their entire breeding life. The single, white egg is incubated by both parents for about 42 days. The chick is fed small fish for 6-7 weeks.

The North American breeding population is estimated at about 365 000 pairs; almost 62% nest on 4 islands in Witless Bay, southeastern Newfoundland. Populations in the Gulf of St Lawrence-New England states area and in the northeastern Atlantic have declined considerably since 1900, probably because of human persecution, variation in food availability and oil pollution.

Atlantic Puffin
This marine bird chases its prey (small fish) underwater by using its small wings for propulsion (photo by Tim Fitzharris).

Author D.N. NETTLESHIP

Suggested Reading
D.N. Nettleship, "Family Alcidae (Auks)," Handbook of the Birds of the World, Vol 3: Hoatzin to Auks (1996); Nettleship and T.R. Birkhead, The Atlantic Alcidae: The Evolution, Distribution and Biology of the Auks Inhabiting the Atlantic Ocean and Adjacent Water Areas (1985).

Links to Other Sites
Atlantic Puffin
Hinterland Who's Who profile of the Atlantic Puffin.

All About Birds
Search this online bird identification guide for information on specific bird species found in North America. Click on the dynamic map of eBird sightings for a magnified view. From the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the US.