Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) — Vulnerable

Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica), a seabird with a colourful triangular bill. — Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica).
Image: Richard Bartz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

At a glance

IUCN category: VU · Vulnerable
Animal group: Birds
Population trend: Decreasing
FaunaHub record reviewed: 2026-06-16
Checked against IUCN: Matches source — IUCN's 2018 global assessment of Fratercula arctica says VulnerableChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment

Conservation overview

The Atlantic puffin is a small, colourful-billed seabird that nests in burrows on North Atlantic coasts. It is assessed as Vulnerable.

It carries several small fish at once crosswise in its bright bill.

Range & habitat

Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic, breeding from North America to Europe.

Major threats

Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.

Shortage of small prey fish
Changing ocean conditions
Invasive predators at colonies

Why it matters

A much-loved seabird that depends on small forage fish, the puffin is a visible indicator of the changing North Atlantic and its fisheries.

Gallery

An Atlantic puffin standing on a cliff. — Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica).
Image: Richard Bartz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Sources

Sources for Atlantic Puffin

IUCN Red List — look up Atlantic Puffin (authoritative status)
Animal Diversity Web

Frequently Asked Questions

How does a puffin carry so many fish at once?

Backward-pointing spines on its tongue and palate let a puffin hold several small fish crosswise in its bill while still catching more — sometimes a dozen or more at a time.

Why is the Atlantic puffin Vulnerable?

Published assessments cite shortages of the small fish it feeds on, changing ocean conditions, and invasive predators at some colonies. See the IUCN Red List.