Feeding Behavior

Forages while swimming underwater. Swims rapidly through schools of small fish, catching them in bill.

Eggs

one. Dull white, usually with faint spots of gray, lavender, brown. Incubation is by both sexes, 38-43 days. Young: both parents feed nestling, carrying fish in bill and dropping them in nest or near entrance. Adults generally forage in waters close to colony, may make more frequent feeding visits than Tufted Puffins. Young depart from nest at about 38-44 days; unable to fly well at departure, they flutter or tumble down to water and swim out to sea, apparently independent from then on.

Young

both parents feed nestling, carrying fish in bill and dropping them in nest or near entrance. Adults generally forage in waters close to colony, may make more frequent feeding visits than Tufted Puffins. Young depart from nest at about 38-44 days; unable to fly well at departure, they flutter or tumble down to water and swim out to sea, apparently independent from then on.

Diet

mostly fish. Favors small fish, especially sand lance and capelin, also sticklebacks, smelt, and others. Food brought to young almost entirely fish. Adults also eat many squid, marine worms, and crustaceans.

Nesting

Breeds in colonies on islands, usually with other species of auks. Nest site is in burrow in ground, 1-3' or longer, perhaps sometimes with two entrances; also in natural crevice in cliff or among boulders. Burrow (apparently excavated by both sexes) may be re-used in following years. Nest chamber may by lined with grasses or may be bare.