Puffin
Sign in to savePuffins are any of three species of small alcids (auks) in the bird genus Fratercula. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among rocks or in burrows in the soil. Two species, the tufted puffin and horned puffin, are found in the North Pacific Ocean, while the Atlantic puffin is found in the North Atlantic Ocean.
AI overview
Puffins are small seabirds that belong to the auk family and are found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans, where they dive for food and breed in large cliff-side or island colonies. They matter as indicators of ocean health and as distinctive members of marine ecosystems that depend on stable coastal environments for survival.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Article
14 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Taxonomy
- Extant species
- Fossils
- Description
- Behaviour
- Breeding
- Feeding
- Relationships with humans
- Hunting
- Related places and products
- References
- Sources
- External links
Puffins are any of three species of small alcids (auks) in the bird genus Fratercula. These are pelagic seabirds that feed primarily by diving in the water. They breed in large colonies on coastal cliffs or offshore islands, nesting in crevices among rocks or in burrows in the soil. Two species, the tufted puffin and horned puffin, are found in the North Pacific Ocean, while the Atlantic puffin is found in the North Atlantic Ocean.
All puffin species have predominantly black or black and white plumage, a stocky build, and large beaks that get brightly colored during the breeding season. They shed the colorful outer parts of their bills after the breeding season, leaving a smaller and duller beak. Their short wings are adapted for swimming with a flying technique underwater. In the air, they beat their wings rapidly (up to 400 times per minute) in swift flight, often flying low over the ocean's surface.