Field guide · rare
Puffin
The clown of the cliffs, a comical seabird with a painted bill that carries fish like a stacked deck of cards.
Vulnerable
Fratercula arctica
Overview
The Atlantic puffin is one of Britain's most beloved seabirds: small, upright, and unmistakable with its black-and-white plumage, orange feet, and triangular bill striped in red, yellow, and blue. Puffins nest in burrows dug into grassy cliff tops, returning each spring to the same colony.
A puffin fishing for its chick can carry a dozen sand eels crosswise in its bill at once, held by spines on the tongue and palate while it dives again for more. They are awkward on land but powerful underwater, beating their wings to 'fly' through the sea.
- Scientific nameFratercula arctica
- Length26–29 cm
- Weight350–500 g
- Lifespan20–30 years in the wild
- DietSmall schooling fish…
- ConservationVulnerable
- RegionSea Cliffs
Habitat
- Coastal cliffs
- Islands
- Open ocean
Steep sea cliffs and grassy offshore islands in Scotland, Wales, and eastern England hold puffin colonies. They spend winter far out at sea and return to land only to breed, favouring islands free from ground predators.
Countries found
Field notes
Field scale for the Puffin: length around 26-29 cm; weight 350-500 g. Typical lifespan: 20-30 years in the wild.
When you are scanning habitat, prioritise coastal cliffs, islands, and open ocean. Those settings are where a clean look and a usable photo are most likely.
Quick ID anchor: Black-and-white seabird with a triangular, multicoloured bill in summer, orange feet, and a clown-like facial pattern. In winter the bill is smaller and duller, but the chunky shape remains distinctive. Confirm with behaviour and habitat before you log the discovery.
Diet
Small schooling fish such as sand eels, herring, and capelin, caught by underwater pursuit. Parents carry multiple fish crosswise in the colourful bill back to the burrow.
Behaviour
Breeds in dense cliff and island colonies, nesting in burrows or rock crevices. An adept underwater flyer; winters at sea far from land.
How to identify
Black-and-white seabird with a triangular, multicoloured bill in summer, orange feet, and a clown-like facial pattern. In winter the bill is smaller and duller, but the chunky shape remains distinctive.
Interesting facts
- 01
Puffins carry up to a dozen fish crosswise in their bill at once.
- 02
They nest in burrows on cliff tops, sometimes alongside rabbits.
- 03
Puffins mate for life and return to the same burrow each year.
Conservation status
Atlantic puffins are Vulnerable, with breeding failures linked to warming seas and sand eel shortages. UK colonies at Skomer, Farne Islands, and the Scottish islands remain important strongholds.
Sources: IUCN Red List
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