Puffin

Fratercula arctica

Introduction

The most familiar, and some would say charismatic, of our breeding auks, the Puffin is also the most localised in its British breeding range.

Puffins are predominantly burrow-nesters using sites within short grassy swards, often located on sloping ground above cliffs. Although many of these burrows will have been excavated by the Puffins themselves, they are not averse to taking over burrows from Rabbits or Manx Shearwaters.

Our Puffins spend the winter at sea, with ringing data suggesting an extensive wintering range, extending over the eastern Atlantic, south to north-west Africa and with some individuals venturing into the Mediterranean Sea.

Key Stats

Common

386.9g

1-1

BTO Records

62k records

Publications

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

580k Pairs

-26.8% contraction

No data

No current data

-53.4% contraction

Identification

Curated resources to aid in the identification of Puffin

ID Videos

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This section features BTO training videos headlining this species, or featuring it as a potential confusion species.

Winter Auks

Songs and Calls

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Listen to example recordings of the main vocalisations of Puffin, provided by xeno-canto contributors.

Song:

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

UK Birds of Conservation Concern

Red listed

Species of European Conservation Concern

Endangered

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Vulnerable

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

Listed on the Annexes of*

Bern(III)

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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UK (breeding)

580 Pairs (1998-02)

Source

BOU Category

Source

First Record*

Recorded in Medieval times

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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The number of Puffins breeding in the UK increased by 37% between 1969–70 and Seabird 2000 (1998–2002). However, a large decline at two of the largest colonies (Farne Islands and the Isle of May) occurred between 2003 and 2008/09. It is unclear, however, whether these declines are representative of the wider UK population; the recent Seabirds Count (2015–2021) should help confirm and quantify the magnitude of any national population decline.

Distribution

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The bulk of Britain & Ireland's Puffins breed in the Northern Isles, St Kilda, along the North Sea coast south to Yorkshire, in southwest Wales and in western Ireland. In winter they are mostly pelagic and a scattering of records around the coast mainly relate to autumn records and storm-blown individuals.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in breeding season

161

% occupied in breeding season

5.3%

No. occupied in winter

% occupied in winter

2.5%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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Change in occupied 10-km squares in the UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007-11 and indicate by how much occupied areas have expanded or contracted over recent decades.

% change in range in breeding season (1968–72 to 2008–11)

-26.8 %

% change in range in winter (1981–84 to 2007–11)

-53.4 %

Bird Atlas distribution change maps show how bird distributions have changed through time. Coloured upward-pointing triangles show places apparently colonised over the period; grey downward-pointing triangles show places apparently vacated. Shading show places occupied.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

Seasonality

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Puffins are mostly recorded during the breeding season from suitable coastal breeding areas, arriving from March onwards. They depart cliffs quickly and are rarely seen during autumn migration or in winter.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Puffin movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

Dots show the foreign destinations of birds ringed in Britain & Ireland, and the origins of birds ringed overseas that were subsequently recaptured, resighted or found dead in Britain & Ireland. Dot colours indicate the time of year that the species was present at the location.

Winter (Nov-Feb)
Spring (Mar-Apr)
Summer (May-Jul)
Autumn (Aug-Oct)

Foreign locations of birds ringed or recovered in Britain & Ireland

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

The Eurasian-African Migration Atlas shows movements of individual birds ringed or recovered in Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Puffin, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Productivity and Nesting

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Nesting timing

Typical (exceptional) number of broods

Source

Egg measurements

Typical length x width

63x44 mm

Mass (% shell)

64g (7%)

Source

Clutch Size

Typical number

1-1 eggs

Observed minimum and maximum

1-2 eggs

Source

Incubation

Incubation by

Female (occ. Male)

Typical duration

43-36 days

Source

Fledging

Type of chick

Altricial, downy

Typical duration

44-34 days

Source

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

View number ringed each year in the Online Ringing Report.

lifespan

Typical life expectancy of bird reaching breeding age

18 years with breeding typically at 5 years

Source

Maximum age from a ringed bird

42 years, 21 days (set in 2019)

Source

Survival of adults

All adults

0.924±0.006

Females

0.924

Males

0.924

Source

Biometrics

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Wing length and body weights are from live birds (source).

Wing length

Average ±1 std deviation; range and sample size in brackets.

Juvenile

138.7±6.6 mm

(131-145 mm, N=2392)

All adults

159.5±4.5 mm

(152-167 mm, N=583)

Body weight

Average ±1 std deviation; range and sample size in brackets.

Juvenile

138.7±6.6 mm

(131-145 mm, N=2392)

All adults

159.5±4.5 mm

(152-167 mm, N=583)

Ring Size

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Puffin

Classification and Codes

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Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Alcidae
Scientific name: Fratercula arctica
Authority: Linnaeus, 1758

BTO 2-letter code: PU
BTO 5-letter code: PUFFI
Euring code number: 6540

Alternate species names

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Catalan: fraret atlàntic
Czech: papuchalk severní
Danish: Lunde
Dutch: Papegaaiduiker
Estonian: lunn e. põhjalunn
Finnish: lunni
French: Macareux moine
Gaelic: Buthaid

German: Papageitaucher
Hungarian: lunda
Icelandic: Lundi
Irish: Puifín
Italian: Pulcinella di mare
Latvian: Atlantijas tuklitis
Lithuanian: atlantinis mormonas
Norwegian: Lunde

Polish: maskonur (zwyczajny)
Portuguese: papagaio-do-mar
Slovak: mníšik bielobradý
Slovenian: mormon
Spanish: Frailecillo atlántico
Swedish: lunnefågel
Welsh: Pâl

English folkname(s): Londoner

Research

Interpretation and scientific publications about Puffin from BTO scientists.

Causes of Change and Solutions

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Causes of change

The reasons for the population increases between 1969–70 and Seabird 2000 are not known (JNCC 2022). Productivity was low between 1998 and 2013 and this may have contributed to declines, with food shortages and high levels of rainfall causing flooding of burrows both being implicated (JNCC 2022). An Icelandic study found a strong correlation between Puffin breeding productivity and local sea surface temperatures (which can affect prey abundance) (Hansen et al. 2021), and it is likely that UK colonies are also being affected by changes to sea surface temperatures caused by climate change. Prey shortages result in longer foraging ranges and lower productivity which ultimately leads to declines (Fayet et al. 2021). The population may also be affected by survival and it is believed that a 'wreck' in the winter of 2013/14 following several severe storms may have had a substantial effect on the Puffin populations at some UK sites (JNCC 2022).

Publications (8)

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The status of the UK’s breeding seabirds

Five seabird species are added to the Birds of Conservation Concern Red List in this addendum to the 2021 update, bringing the total number of Red-listed seabird species to 10, up from six since seabirds were last assessed. The Amber List of seabirds moves from 19 to 14 species, and the Green List increases from one to two species.

29.09.24

Papers

View on journal website

Seabird Population Trends and Causes of Change: 1986–2023

This report presents the latest seabird population trends in breeding abundance and productivity using data from the Seabird Monitoring Programme (SMP).The report documents changes in the abundance and productivity of breeding seabird species in Britain and Ireland from 1986 to 2023, and provides a detailed account of the 2021, 2022 and 2023 breeding seasons.This report includes both inland and coastal populations and trends from the Channel Islands, England, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland, which are presented where sufficient data are available. The results from this report are used more broadly to assess the health of the wider environment, to inform policy and for conservation action.

21.11.24

Reports Research reports

Read the report View Online

The value of seabird foraging ranges as a tool to investigate the impact of offshore wind farms

A study led by BTO uses data from GPS tracking and other research to identify the likelihood of seabirds of 27 species interacting with areas off sea earmarked for 41 new offshore wind farms around the UK.

30.05.24

Papers

Northern Ireland Seabird Report 2023

The report includes detailed information about the population trends and breeding success of seabirds in Northern Ireland, over the 2023 breeding season. Notably, Fulmar and Kittiwake populations are reported to be experiencing continued declines, while Guillemot, Common Gull and Herring Gull populations show increases at most breeding sites.

15.04.24

Reports Northern Ireland Seabird Report

Download PDF

Seabird abundances projected to decline in response to climate change in Britain and Ireland

Britain and Ireland support globally-important numbers of breeding seabirds, but these populations are under pressure from a suite of threats, including marine pollution, habitat loss, overfishing and highly pathogenic avian influenza. Climate change introduces additional threats, the magnitude of which is uncertain in the future, making it difficult to plan how to apportion conservation efforts between seabird species. Predicting how species’ numbers could change under different climate change scenarios helps clarify their future vulnerability to extinction, and thus assists in conservation planning.

05.12.23

Papers

Birds of Conservation Concern Wales 4: the population status of birds in Wales

The latest review of the conservation status of birds in Wales. The report assessed all 220 bird species which regularly occur in Wales. There are now 60 species of bird on the Red List, with 91 on the Amber List and just 69 - less than a third of the total number of species - on the Green List.

06.12.22

Reports Birds of Conservation Concern

View a summary report

Factors influencing the survival of Puffins Fratercula arctica at a North Sea colony over a 20-year period

01.01.97

Papers

An experimental study of reduced parental effort and future reproductive success in the puffin, Fratercula arctica

01.01.98

Papers

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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