# Atlantic Puffin (*Fratercula arctica*)

> The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) is a clown-billed auk of North Atlantic cliffs from Maine and Newfoundland to Iceland, Norway, and the British Isles. It catches small fish such as sand eels, nests in burrows, and is listed Vulnerable as warming seas and food shortages cut breeding success in parts of its range.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Vulnerable
- **Range:** North Atlantic cliffs from Maine and Newfoundland to Iceland, Norway, and the British Isles.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/atlantic-puffin/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Charadriiformes
- **Family:** Alcidae
- **Genus:** Fratercula

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Fratercula arctica |
| Diet | Carnivore (small fish) |
| Habitat | Sea cliffs and open ocean |
| Lifespan | Around 20 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity). |
| Weight | About 0.45 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary). |
| Top speed | Up to roughly 80 km/h when moving at speed. |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable (IUCN) |

## Colourful bill, black-and-white body

Breeding adults sport a triangular multicoloured bill that sheds outer plates after the season. Wings beat rapidly in flight; underwater they "fly" with wings to chase fish. Bright orange feet help with landing on cliffs.

## Sand eels and crosswise fish

Parents carry multiple small fish — often sand eels, herring, or capelin — lined crosswise in the bill thanks to spines on the tongue and palate. Chicks (pufflings) are fed in burrows until they fledge alone at night.

## North Atlantic cliff colonies

Sea cliffs and offshore islands from Maine and Newfoundland across Iceland, Norway, Faroes, and British Isles. Winters are spent on the open North Atlantic.

## Vulnerable to prey collapse

IUCN lists Atlantic puffins Vulnerable. Warming waters can push sand eel and other prey beyond reach of colonies, and introduced rats or cats devastate burrow nests on some islands.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do puffins hold so many fish?

Spines on the tongue and roof of the mouth pin fish while the bird catches more, lining them crosswise in the bill.

### What is a baby puffin called?

A young atlantic puffin is called a puffling (Fratercula arctica; diet: Carnivore (small fish)).

### Why are Atlantic puffins Vulnerable?

Breeding failures linked to shifting fish prey, plus predation by introduced mammals on some islands, have driven declines in parts of the range.

### Can puffins fly and swim?

Yes — they fly with rapid wingbeats and pursue fish underwater using their wings.

### Where do Atlantic puffins nest?

In burrows or rock crevices on North Atlantic sea cliffs and islands. Native range summary: North Atlantic cliffs from Maine and Newfoundland to Iceland, Norway, and the British Isles.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/atlantic-puffin/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.