# Atlantic Puffin (*Fratercula arctica*)

> The Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) is a small, colourful seabird of the North Atlantic, nicknamed the 'sea parrot' for its bright, striped bill. It spends most of the year far out at sea, coming ashore only to breed in dense colonies on grassy coastal cliffs and islands. It flies fast, up to 88 km/h (55 mph), and 'flies' underwater to catch small fish. Puffins live 20 years or more and are listed as Vulnerable.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Vulnerable
- **Range:** The open North Atlantic, breeding on coastal cliffs and islands from Canada to Norway.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/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 | Open ocean; coastal cliffs to breed |
| Lifespan | 20+ years |
| Weight | 300–500 g (0.7–1.1 lb) |
| Top speed | Up to 88 km/h (55 mph) in flight |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable (IUCN) |

## The colourful 'sea parrot'

In the breeding season the Atlantic puffin is unmistakable, with a white face, black cap and back, orange feet, and a large triangular bill striped in red, orange, and blue-grey. This bright bill is a breeding-season feature: after nesting, the colourful outer plates are shed and the bill becomes smaller and duller through winter. Adults stand about 28 cm tall and weigh 300 to 500 g, making them far smaller than most people expect. Both sexes look alike.

## A master of two elements

Puffins are built for both air and water. In the air they whir along on short, rapid wingbeats of up to 400 a minute, reaching speeds around 88 km/h. Underwater those same wings become paddles, and the puffin effectively flies beneath the surface, using its webbed feet to steer as it chases fish. It can dive to depths of 60 m and stay submerged for around a minute in pursuit of a meal.

## Fishing and diet

The Atlantic puffin is a carnivore that feeds almost entirely on small fish such as sand eels, herring, sprat, and capelin. A famous trick lets it carry many fish at once: backward-pointing spines on its tongue and palate hold each catch in place while it grabs the next, so it can return to the nest with a dozen or more fish crosswise in its bill. This lets a parent make fewer, more efficient trips to feed a hungry chick. Poor fish stocks near a colony can cause breeding to fail.

## Breeding colonies and the puffling

Puffins nest in large, noisy colonies on grassy cliff tops and offshore islands, digging a burrow into the soil or using a crevice among rocks. A pair typically returns to the same burrow and mate year after year, laying a single egg each season. The chick, charmingly known as a puffling, is fed on fish by both parents until it is ready to leave. It departs the burrow alone at night and heads out to sea, where it will spend several years before returning to breed.

## Life at sea

For most of the year the puffin lives far offshore, riding the open North Atlantic and rarely coming near land. It sleeps on the water, rides out storms, and feeds by diving, only returning to the coast in spring to breed. This oceanic lifestyle makes it difficult to study during winter. Young birds may not set foot on land again until they are old enough to nest, several years after fledging.

## Why it is Vulnerable

The Atlantic puffin is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN because its numbers are falling, especially in important colonies such as Iceland and Norway. Warming seas are shifting and reducing the small fish puffins depend on, so parents struggle to find enough food for their chicks. Historic threats include hunting, egg collection, and predators introduced to nesting islands, while oil spills and fishing bycatch add further pressure. Protecting fish stocks and keeping breeding islands predator-free are key to their recovery.

## Frequently asked questions

### Why is the puffin called a sea parrot?

The Atlantic puffin earns the nickname 'sea parrot' from its large, brightly striped bill, coloured red, orange, and blue-grey in the breeding season. The bill and the bird's clownish face give it a parrot-like appearance, even though it is a seabird, not a parrot.

### How do puffins catch fish?

Puffins dive from the surface and 'fly' underwater, flapping their wings to swim and steering with their webbed feet. They pursue small fish such as sand eels and herring, diving as deep as 60 m and holding many fish at once thanks to spines on the tongue and palate.

### How fast can a puffin fly?

An Atlantic puffin can fly at up to 88 km/h (55 mph), beating its short wings up to 400 times a minute. Those fast wingbeats make its flight look frantic, but they let this small, heavy-bodied seabird cover long distances over the ocean.

### Where do puffins live?

Atlantic puffins live across the North Atlantic, spending most of the year out on the open ocean. They come ashore only to breed, nesting in colonies on grassy coastal cliffs and offshore islands in places such as Iceland, Norway, Britain, and Ireland.

### How long do puffins live?

Atlantic puffins are long-lived birds, commonly reaching 20 years or more, and some individuals live into their 30s. They breed slowly, laying just one egg a year, so a long life is important for raising enough young over a lifetime.

### Why are puffins endangered?

The Atlantic puffin is listed as Vulnerable because its populations are declining. Warming seas are reducing the small fish it feeds on, causing chicks to starve, while hunting, egg collection, introduced predators on nesting islands, oil spills, and fishing bycatch add further pressure.

## Sources

- [IUCN Red List — Fratercula arctica.](https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Fratercula%20arctica&searchType=species)
- [Animal Diversity Web — Fratercula arctica. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Fratercula_arctica/)
- [Wikipedia — Atlantic Puffin.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_puffin)

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