The tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) is a medium-sized seabird in the auk family. It is easily distinguished by its black body, white face and chest, and magnificent yellow head tufts. Tufted puffins are found along the Pacific coast of North America, where they nest on remote islands and feed far out at sea. Their natural habitats include coastal waters, rocky shores, and forests.
Where do tufted puffins live?
The tufted puffin has a very specific range along the Pacific coast of North America. Their breeding range extends from California north to the Aleutian Islands and west across the Bering Sea to Russia. The southern end of their range is around the Channel Islands in southern California. They breed as far north as the Pribilof Islands in Alaska and the Commander Islands in Russia.
During the winter, tufted puffins move further offshore and range over open waters from southern Alaska down to Baja California. Some birds may remain in northern areas throughout the winter if food supplies are adequate.
Within their Pacific coast range, tufted puffins nest on offshore rocks and islands. They require steep, rocky slopes and cliffs to dig their nesting burrows in. Islands with lush grassy vegetation at the top are ideal, providing puffins with soil to dig burrows and habitat for nesting and raising their young. Major nesting sites include the Farallon Islands off San Francisco, Three Arch Rocks and Haystack Rock in Oregon, and the Channel Islands off southern California.
What habitats do tufted puffins use?
Tufted puffins rely on several key marine and coastal habitats throughout their life cycle:
- Open ocean – Feeding habitat far offshore
- Coastal waters – Closer to shore foraging and nesting
- Rocky shores – Nesting burrows dug into cliffsides or slopes
- Islands – Remote islands for nesting colonies
- Forests – Grass, soil, and vegetation at top of islands
Open Ocean
Tufted puffins spend the majority of their lives floating on the open ocean. While hunting and migrating, puffins may range hundreds of miles offshore. They feed far from land on small fish, crustaceans, and other prey.
Puffins are well adapted for life on the open sea. Their wing shape allows excellent flying ability over ocean waters. They can dive deep underwater to catch prey. Their eyes have adapted to see well underwater. Puffins even have the ability to drink saltwater, allowing them to remain at sea for extended periods.
Coastal Waters
Closer to shore, tufted puffins forage in coastal waters near their breeding colonies. They nest on islands and mainland cliffs, so commute to feeding areas within roughly 30-60 miles of their nest sites. Productive coastal upwelling zones that push nutrient-rich water to the surface provide good marine habitat.
When feeding chicks, puffins make quick trips out to sea to catch small fish like anchovies, herring, and capelin. They return to feed the catch to their chick waiting in the burrow. Calm, protected waters close to colonies make these commuting trips easier.
Rocky Shores and Cliffs
Tufted puffins nest in burrows dug into grassy slopes and cliffs. The burrows provide important shelter and protection. Ideal puffin nesting habitat has steep coastal cliffs or rock faces with deep soil and good drainage. Burrows may be dug over 6 feet deep into the soil.
Colonies are situated on hard-to-access offshore islands or remote mainland cliffs. The isolation provides protection from ground predators like foxes. It also allows puffins space away from human disturbance.
Remote Islands
Most puffin colonies are situated on small, remote islands. Their island nest sites are mainly uninhabited by humans, which reduces disturbances. Islands allow separation from mainland predators like raccoons, weasels, and foxes that could raid exposed nests.
Ideal puffin nesting islands have rocky coastal cliffs mixed with grassy meadows and vegetation on top. The habitat diversity provides nesting, feeding, and chick-rearing sites. Some major nesting islands include the Farallons off San Francisco and Saint Lazaria Island in Alaska.
Forest Habitats
Tufted puffins don’t just live along the rocky shoreline. They also utilize forested habitat at the top of their nesting islands. The deeper soil, grasses, wildflowers, and vegetation provide puffins with nesting material and important breeding sites.
After chicks hatch, parents stand guard outside the burrow or find a grassy spot to rest away from the colony. Chicks also emerge for exercise and may shelter under logs and vegetation. Forested islands with open meadows offer safe habitat for fledglings.
What is the puffin’s nesting habitat?
Tufted puffins nest in burrows dug into soil at the tops of remote islands and sea cliffs. Their nesting habitat has a few important features:
- Steep cliffsides or slopes
- Deep soil for burrowing
- Grassy vegetation at the surface
- Protected from predators
- Isolation from human disturbance
Tufted puffins excavate burrows by digging with their bills and feet. Burrows may be 6 feet deep and wind underneath the surface. Nest chambers are dug at the end and lined with grasses and feathers.
Ideal nesting habitat has deep soil with good drainage so burrows don’t flood. Dense grass roots help stabilize underground tunnels. Vegetation provides cover at the entrance and materials to line the nest. Flat, open meadows let puffins rest away from their burrow.
Nesting islands need isolation from mainland predators like foxes, rats, or raccoons that could access exposed burrows. Colonies with the highest breeding success tend to have few ground predators.
Key Nesting Locations
Some of the tufted puffin’s most important breeding colonies in the U.S. include:
- Farallon Islands, California – Largest U.S. colony with over 10,000 breeding pairs
- Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon – Over 2,500 nesting pairs
- Haystack Rock, Oregon – More than 3,000 pairs nesting
- Triangle Island, Alaska – Extremely remote island with over 100,000 puffins
- Semidi Islands in Alaska – Mix of cliff and grassy island habitat
- Saint Lazaria Island, Alaska – Estimated 56,000 breeding pairs
What is their habitat in winter?
During the non-breeding season, tufted puffins move offshore and range over open ocean from southern Alaska to Mexico. Some key aspects of their winter habitat include:
- Pelagic zone – Spending most of their time far offshore
- Coastal upwelling zones – Cold, nutrient-rich waters that attract prey
- Protected bays – Some remain close to shore in calm waters
- No need for nest sites – Able to float on the water
Pelagic Zone
Tufted puffins spend winters far out at sea in the pelagic zone. The pelagic zone is the open ocean habitat that extends out hundreds of miles from shore. Here the water is extremely deep and currents shift dynamically.
Puffins float on the surface and dive to catch squid, small fish, and zooplankton. They may gather in large rafts of hundreds of birds. Their pelagic lifestyle reduces competition for prey that may be found closer to shore.
Coastal Upwelling Zones
Some puffins remain near areas of coastal upwelling throughout the winter. Upwelling zones occur when winds push surface water offshore, causing cold, nutrient-rich water to rise up from the depths.
The surge of nutrients fuels an explosion of phytoplankton. This tiny plant life attracts massive schools of plankton-eating fish and krill. Puffins gather to feed on the abundant food source.
Major upwelling regions include the Heceta Bank off Oregon and Point Reyes Peninsula in California. Puffins can find plentiful food near shore without competing with other breeding birds.
Protected Bays and Inlets
Some tufted puffins may choose to remain in sheltered inshore habitats like bays and inlets during winter. Protected coastal areas offer calm waters for swimming and diving. food can also remain plentiful if currents push schools of fish into the bays.
Puffins in these wintering areas usually do not need to nest. They simply float on the water’s surface. Groups may haul out onto jetties and piers to rest.
No Need for Nest Sites
One advantage of the winter habitat is puffins have no need to establish nesting sites. In summer, competition for the best breeding territory is fierce. But in winter, puffins can float together in rafts and share whatever habitat they occupy.
Rather than isolating on islands, wintering puffins may gather in busy bays and harbors. They find safety in numbers from predators like eagles and falcons.
How does climate impact puffin habitat?
Climate change and ocean conditions influence the tufted puffin’s breeding and feeding habitats in many ways:
- Sea temperature changes can shift prey fish locations
- Storms and erosion impact coastal nest sites
- Drought reduces vegetation for nesting burrows
- Ocean acidification threatens food chains
Shifting Fish Populations
Tufted puffins mainly feed on small schooling fish like herring, sardines, anchovies, and capelin. Ocean warming has caused some prey fish populations to move farther north or into deeper, cooler waters.
If food sources move out of range, puffins may be unable to find adequate food. Adults have perished from starvation and chicks have died in burrows when parents cannot deliver enough fish.
Increased Storm Damage
Coastal nesting habitat is vulnerable to damage from major storms and winter waves. Increased storm frequency and intensity due to climate change may erode and wash away puffin nest sites.
Loss of grassy nesting material can also impact puffins’ ability to maintain burrows. On the Farallon Islands, a single powerful storm in the 1980s eradicated puffin habitat on one area of the island.
Drought Conditions
Lack of precipitation caused by climate change can dry out vegetation at island nesting sites. In severe drought, grass and soil becomes too dry to dig burrows. Exposed seabird chicks and eggs are vulnerable to overheating without shade.
Haystack Rock off Cannon Beach, Oregon experienced complete puffin nesting failure during drought years in the late 2000s. No chicks survived due to dry conditions.
Ocean Acidification
As oceans absorb more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, seawater acidity increases. Acidification can disrupt plankton and shellfish that are at the base of the marine food web.
Loss of key prey organisms like plankton and krill means less food available for small fish. Declines in forage fish negatively impact seabirds like tufted puffins.
How can habitat be protected and preserved?
Protecting puffin habitat and breeding sites is key for conservation of the species. Some ways to preserve and aid tufted puffin habitat include:
- Designate puffin nesting islands and rocks as protected reserves
- Restrict human access and disturbances to sensitive nesting sites
- Create nest boxes and artificial burrows where habitat is lacking
- Control and remove invasive plant species
- Regulate overfishing of prey species like herring and anchovy
Protected Nesting Reserves
Many islands and rocks where puffins nest are designated as National Wildlife Refuges or State Seabird Sanctuaries. This protects habitat from development and human encroachment. Restricted access helps minimize disturbances to nesting birds.
For example, the Three Arch Rocks National Wildlife Refuge off Oregon protects important nest sites and monitors puffin populations. Island reserves have helped re-establish breeding colonies.
Artificial Nest Boxes
Where natural burrows are lacking, artificial concrete burrows and nest boxes have been added for puffins. These have successfully provided safe nesting sites and boosted populations. Maintaining artificial burrows also helps attract birds back to previous nesting areas.
On Triangle Island in British Columbia, over 100 fiberglass burrows were added to provide new habitat. Other nests are dug into sod brought onto rocky islands without soil.
Invasive Species Control
Non-native plants and animals can disrupt breeding sites. Invasive plants may crowd out native vegetation used for burrow nesting material. Predators like rats, mink, and raccoons also pose risks.
Active removal and control of exotic plants and animals from puffin islands provides more secure nesting. For example, eliminating rats from some Aleutian Islands has helped restore breeding success.
Sustainable Fishing
Overfishing of key puffin prey can reduce available food supplies. Setting sustainable catch limits and restrictions helps maintain forage fish at adequate levels. Seasonal no-fishing zones near colonies can also ensure enough food while puffins are breeding.
Coordinating protection across state and national waters is needed to fully safeguard food resources. Monitoring fish populations provides data to guide smart management.
Conclusion
Tufted puffins rely on a diversity of marine and coastal habitats in the Pacific region. Protecting their breeding sites and food resources is key for the conservation of these unique seabirds. While climate change and human activities pose challenges, focused management efforts can preserve vital nesting islands, restore damaged habitat, and ensure puffins thrive for generations to come.