Puffin

Lifespan

25–30 years in the wild, with some individuals recorded living into their 40s

Size & Weight

28–30 cm long, wingspan 47–63 cm; 320–400 g

Habitat

Breeds on rocky coastal cliffs and offshore islands with suitable burrow sites; winters at sea in the North Atlantic.

UK Distribution

Summer breeder (April–August) on northern and western coasts, particularly Scotland, Northern Ireland, and southwest England; migratory, wintering in the Atlantic.

Diet

Small fish, primarily sand eels, sprats, and capelin, caught by diving and swimming underwater.

Prey

Sand eels (Ammodytes species), sprats (Sprattus sprattus), capelin (Mallotus villosus), and other small fish

Predators

Great black-backed gulls, herring gulls, great skuas, and occasionally otters and foxes at breeding colonies

Mating Season

April to August

Breeding

Single clutch of 1 egg per season; incubation period 39–45 days; chick fledges at 38–44 days old

Behaviour

Things With Wings

Species Profile

Sources and editorial status