Puffin Bird Facts | Fratercula Arctica

How to identify

Puffins are unmistakable birds with their black back and white underparts, distinctive black head with large pale cheeks and their tall, flattened, brightly-coloured bill. Its comical appearance is heightened by its red and black eye-markings and bright orange legs. Used as a symbol for books and other items, this clown among seabirds is one of the world's favourite birds. With half of the UK population at only a few sites, it's a Red List species.

Call

Puffin

Hans Petter Kristoffersen / xeno-canto

Protect Our Birds, Defend Our Nature

Puffins are colourful and clownlike and one of our most endearing birds. However, they’re on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern Red, at risk of global extinction. They’re threatened by predators eating their eggs and chicks and a loss of food made worse by overfishing. That’s why we’re campaigning for more protected areas to be created, to safeguard the most important places for Puffins, both on land and at sea. We’re also protecting important nature reserves for Puffins to help ensure they have safe places to raise their chicks.

Protect Our Birds, Defend Our Nature - Donate

Public photography contributes to Puffin population study

Equipped with long lenses, the ‘Puffarazzi’ have submitted photos to Project Puffin in their thousands! The snapshots have provided invaluable data for a new study, highlighting a possible link between prey availability and populations.

Say cheese!