Back to Catalog|
Animal World
Atlantic Puffin — photograph 1
📷 Wikimedia Commons · Free License
IUCN: Vulnerable

Atlantic Puffin

Fratercula arctica

KingdomAnimalia›PhylumChordata›ClassAves›OrderCharadriiformes›FamilyAlcidae›GenusFratercula
About

The Atlantic puffin, also known as the common puffin, is a species of seabird in the auk family. It is the only puffin native to the Atlantic Ocean; two related species, the tufted puffin and the horned puffin, are found in the northeastern Pacific. The Atlantic puffin breeds in Russia, Iceland, Ireland, Britain, Norway, Greenland, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and the Faroe Islands, and as far south as Maine in the west and France in the east. It is most commonly found in the Westman Islands, Iceland.

Although it has a large population and a wide range, the species has declined rapidly, at least in parts of its range, resulting in it being rated as vulnerable by the IUCN. On land, it has the typical upright stance of an auk. At sea, it swims on the surface and feeds on zooplankton, small fish, and crabs, which it catches by diving underwater, using its wings for propulsion.

Key Facts
⛰
Habitat
Open ocean; cliffs and grassy sea islands for nesting
🍃
Diet
Small fish — herring, sprat, capelin, sand eels
📏
Size & Weight
Wingspan 50–60 cm; weight 380–600 g
⏳
Lifespan
Up to 20 years
🗺
Range
North Atlantic Ocean
BirdSeabird
Photo Credits
#1Wikimedia Commons · Free License
#2Giles Laurent · CC BY-SA 4.0
#3Romaniviatores · CC BY-SA 4.0