puffin

The puffin Fratercula arctica breeds in burrows in colonies distributed around the coast and islands of NW Europe. For breeding success it relies heavily upon shoals of sand eels that thrive in the waters in this area.

The puffin's scientific (Latin) name relates to its overall black and white appearance, and describes it as a ‘little friar’ (Fratercula). For some reason, the term Puffinus is reserved for the quite different shearwater species, five examples of which inhabit European coastal waters.

Any of various sea birds of the genus Fratercula of the auk family, found in the northern Atlantic and Pacific. The puffin is about 35 cm/14 in long, with a white face and front, red legs, and a large deep bill, very brightly coloured in summer. Having short wings and webbed feet, puffins are poor fliers but excellent swimmers. They nest in rock crevices, or make burrows, and lay a single egg.