the wingspan is 26 – 35 mm .

dysstroma latefasciata

dysstroma latefasciata , the siberian carpet , is a moth of the geometridae family . it is found from fennoscandia to eastern siberia and mongolia .
e . siberia , nature reserve «baikalo - lenskyi» , lake baikal , cape pokoiniki envir . , at light ( kerosene lamp ) , 28 - vii - 2005 , leg . o . berlov the forewing length is 16 mm . det . e . beljaev
e . siberia , nature reserve «baikalo - lenskyi» , lake baikal , cape pokoiniki envir . , at light ( kerosene lamp ) , 28 - vii - 2005 , leg . o . berlov the forewing length is 16 mm . det . j . viidalepp
e . siberia , nature reserve «baikalo - lenskyi» , lake baikal , cape pokoiniki envir . , at light ( kerosene lamp ) , 25 - vii - 2005 , leg . o . berlov the forewing length is 17 mm . det . e . berlov
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söka fram arter som är rödlistade , lever i småvatten och som påverkas negativt av igenväxning .
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* our website is multilingual . some comments have been translated from other languages .
curators : konstantin efetov , vasiliy feoktistov , svyatoslav knyazev , evgeny komarov , stan korb , alexander zhakov .
species catalog enables to sort by characteristics such as expansion , flight time , etc . .
the wingspan is 26–35 mm . adults are on wing from the end of june to september .
the larvae feed on vaccinium myrtillus , vaccinium uliginosum , rubus chamaemorus , rhododendron tomentosum and fragaria vesca . larvae can be found from august to june . the species overwinters in the larval stage .
sources disagree on the authority for this species . while some sources claim the species was described by staudinger in 1889 , others state it was described by staudinger in 1882 , dahl in 1900 or blocker in 1908 .
popular : trivia , history , america , television , tv , usa , world , geography , . . . more
a taxon identifier is composed of name , author , year and attribute , all separated by a blank . these are all extracted from the original publication .
the name is reproduced exactly as proposed in the original publication . the name of a genus is made up of one word and species made up of two words ( genus and species ) separated by a blank .
the author ' s name is made up of a string of letters , with no blanks , and multiple authors ' names are separated by a comma . spelling of author ' s name is based on the original publication . if there are more than three authors , only the names of the first two authors are shown , followed by
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attribute is enclosed in square brackets . this is rarely needed , but to differentiate homo - identifiers , this will contain the page , line or plate number of original publication .
all diacritic marks , hyphens , and apostrophes are eliminated , thus only the following characters are used : a to z , a to z , 0 to 9 , blank , comma , and opening and closing square brackets . although upper and lower cases are used for the convenience of human recognition , it is not case sensitive .
created by dicky sick ki yu 1997 - 2012 please send me information about errors and omissions ( contact information ) with supporting references , possibly with pdf or hard copy .
introduction this is the second and concluding part of the taxo - nomic revision of the tribe cidariini , a member of the subfamily larentiinae ( choi , 2002 ) . the purpose of…
die puppen der spanner mitteleuropas . unterfamilie larentiinae , tribus lythriini , xanthorhoini , larentiini und cidariini ( lepidoptera , geometridae )


the wingspan is about 14 mm .

the hindwings are light grey .

athrips helicaula

athrips helicaula is a moth of the gelechiidae family . it is found in south africa , where it has been recorded from the northern cape .
bidzilya o . v . 2010 . a taxonomic review of the genera parapsectris meyrick , 1911 and athrips billberg , 1820 in africa . - esperiana memoir 5 : 341–408 .
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cape verde , st . vincent [ são vicente ] , e . l . mimosa sp . vii . 1872 , leg . weyenbergh .
weyenbergh 1873 . note on the lepidopterous fauna of st . vincente , with description of a new species of gelechia . - entomologist ' s monthly magazine 10 : 121–122 .
the wingspan is about 14 mm . the forewings are white , tinged with brownish and irrorated with blackish except on the costa and veins , which form undefined white streaks . the hindwings are light grey .
janse a . j . t . 1958 . the moths of south africa . vi . gelechiadae - — 6 ( 1 ) : 1–144 , pls . 1–32 .
meyrick e . 1912d . new south african microlepidoptera . - annals of the south african museum 10 ( 3 ) : 53–74 .
povolný d . 1989 . two new species of the genus pseudathrips and some new records on the tribe gnorimoschemini ( lepidoptera , gelechiidae ) fro middle east . - acta universitatis agriculturae brno 37 ( 3–4 ) : 153–162 .
meyrick e . 1914c . descriptions of south african micro - lepidoptera . v . - annals of the transvaal museum 4 ( 4 ) : 187–205 .
meyrick e . 1913b . descriptions of south african micro - lepidoptera . iv - annals of the transvaal museum 3 ( 4 ) : 267–336 .
meyrick e . 1921b . descriptions of south african micro - lepidoptera . - annals of the transvaal museum 8 ( 2 ) : 49–148 .
meyrick e . 1914b . descriptions of south african microlepidoptera . - annals of the south african museum 10 : 243–257 .
janse a . j . t . 1950 . the moths of south africa . v . gelechiadae . - — 5 ( 2 ) : 61–172 , pls . 33–88 .
zeller p . c . 1852b . lepidoptera microptera , quae j . a . wahlberg in caffrorum terra collegit . - — : 1–120 .
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this is a list of moths of the family gelechiidae that are found in south africa . it also acts as an index to the species articles and forms part of the full list of moths of south africa .
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the ground colour of the wings is pale grey-brown with fine grey-brown fasciation and black discal spots .

parasthena

this is the place for parasthena definition . you find here parasthena meaning , synonyms of parasthena and images for parasthena copyright 2017 © urltoken
here you will find one or more explanations in english for the word parasthena . also in the bottom left of the page several parts of wikipedia pages related to the word parasthena and , of course , parasthena synonyms and on the right images related to the word parasthena .
parsons et al . ( 1999 ) included only 1 species in the genus parasthena .
genus : parasthena warren , 1902 . novit . zool . 9 : 361 . [ bhl ]
parasthena is a genus of moth in the family geometridae . it consists of only one species , parasthena flexilinea , which is found on sulawesi , the philippines and borneo and possibly on seram and papua new guinea .
parasthena is a genus of moth in the family geometridae . it consists of only one species , parasthena flexilinea , which is found on sulawesi , the philippines and borneo and possibly on seram and papua new guinea .
type - species : parasthena flexilinea warren , 1902 . novit . zool . 9 : 362 . [ bhl ]
a taxon identifier is composed of name , author , year and attribute , all separated by a blank . these are all extracted from the original publication .
the name is reproduced exactly as proposed in the original publication . the name of a genus is made up of one word and species made up of two words ( genus and species ) separated by a blank .
the author ' s name is made up of a string of letters , with no blanks , and multiple authors ' names are separated by a comma . spelling of author ' s name is based on the original publication . if there are more than three authors , only the names of the first two authors are shown , followed by
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attribute is enclosed in square brackets . this is rarely needed , but to differentiate homo - identifiers , this will contain the page , line or plate number of original publication .
all diacritic marks , hyphens , and apostrophes are eliminated , thus only the following characters are used : a to z , a to z , 0 to 9 , blank , comma , and opening and closing square brackets . although upper and lower cases are used for the convenience of human recognition , it is not case sensitive .
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type specimens : type ( s ) sulawesi ( celebes ) : bonthain , ( ? depository ) . .
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a related , somewhat more strongly marked , undescribed species occurs in seram and new guinea .
most records are from g . kinabalu : 450m at poring hot springs to 1930m on the main ascent . one specimen was taken in a cocoa plantation at tuaran in 1997 .
schmidt , olga , 2015 , list of primary types of the larentiine moth species ( lepidoptera : geometridae ) described from indonesia - a starting point for biodiversity assessment of the subfamily in the region , biodiversity data journal 3 , pp . 5447 - 5447 : 5447
type status : syntype . occurrence : sex : 5m , 5f ; record level : ownerinstitutioncode : nhm
type locality : celebes [ sulawesi ] , bonthain , 3000 - 7000 ft .
no known copyright restrictions apply . see agosti , d . , egloff , w . , 2009 . taxonomic information exchange and copyright : the plazi approach . bmc research notes 2009 , 2 : 53 for further explanation .
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nomenclator zoologicus . a list of the names of genera and subgenera in zoology from the tenth edition of linnaeus , 1758 to the end of 2004 . digitised by ubio from vols . 1 - 9 of neave ( ed . ) , 1939 - 1996 plus supplementary digital - only volume . urltoken ( as at 2006 ) .
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the ground colour of the wings is pale grey - brown with fine grey - brown fasciation and black discal spots .


the horned puffin ( fratercula corniculata ) is an auk , similar in appearance to the atlantic puffin .

it is a pelagic seabird that feeds primarily by diving for fish .

it nests in colonies , often with other auks .

horned puffin

description : the horned puffin is very similar to the atlantic puffin , but it has larger bill and size .
figure 1 . distribution of the horned puffin in north america and easternmost asia .
) . the diet of the horned puffin during winter is not well studied . puffin chicks are fed mostly raw fish .
horned puffin , adult returning to colony with fish , gambell , ak ; august .
atlantic puffin ( a . k . a . the common puffin ) ( fratercula arctica )
tufted puffin ( a . k . a . the crested puffin ) ( fratercula cirrhata )
unlike other puffins , which nest in burrows , the horned puffin typically nests in rock crevices and cliffs .
the horned puffin can fly , but it spends more time in the water as it is a better swimmer .
. nevertheless , predation does not substantially affect horned puffin populations because of their hard - to - reach nesting sites .
the horned puffin uses its large bill to catch fish and marine invertebrates . it can dive up to depths of 80 feet to catch its prey . the horned puffin can carry more than one fish in its mouth at a time .
the puffin can fly , but it is a better swimmer . in order to get airborne , the puffin must run on the surface of the water for a long distance . the horned puffin also dives off cliffs to take flight .
the puffin can fly , but it is a better swimmers . in order to get airborne , the puffin must run on the surface of the water for a long distance . the horned puffin will also will dive off cliffs to take flight .
golubova , e . , m . nazarkin . 2009 . feeding ecology of the tufted puffin ( lunda cirrhata ) and the horned puffin ( fratercula corniculata ) in the northern sea of okhotsk .
a ) atlantic puffin : the atlantic puffin ( formerly common puffin ) lives in the north atlantic . it is the smallest of the puffins and is readily separated from the similar horned puffin by the steel - blue triangle at the base of its beak . range : see answer to question # 3 , below .
the horned puffin is currently rated as least concern . this bird species has a range and population that are sufficient and stable enough at this point for there to be no concern regarding possible decline . the horned puffin is native to japan , canada , russia and the united states . the range of the horned puffin is estimated to be as much as 1 million square kilometers while the population of this bird species is around 800 , 000 individuals . the prior rating for the horned puffin was lower risk , which was downgraded to least concern in 2004 .
rhinoceros auklet ( a . k . a . rhino auklet , horn - billed puffin , unicorn puffin ) ( cerorhinca monocerata )
the horned puffin carries small fish crosswise in its bill and delivers them to its nestlings . one individual was observed carrying 65 fish at once .
horned puffins take advantage of the sea ' s bounty . while nesting and raising their chicks , horned puffins eat mostly fish , bringing back beakfuls of sand lance and capelin to their young . horned puffins can dive up to 80 feet to catch prey .
horned puffins are nomadic and move from breeding grounds when they are too iced over .
the horned puffin uses its large bill to catch fish and marine invertebrates . it can dive up to depths of 80 feet to catch its prey . the puffin can carry more than one fish in its mouth at a time .
horned puffin : tufted puffin has dark underparts and in breeding plumage has pale yellow plumes on head . common and thick - billed murres have entirely dark head , small , dark bill , and white trailing margin on inner wing .
the horned puffin is pelagic . a pelagic animal lives on the open sea . in breeding season , it is found on sea cliffs or on rocky islets .
wehle , d . h . s . 1980 . the breeding biology of the puffins : tufted puffin ( lunda cirrhata ) , horned puffin ( fratercula corniculata ) , common puffin ( f . arctica ) , and rhinoceros auklet ( cerorhinca monocerata ) . phd thesis , univ . of alaska , fairbanks . close
the densities of horned puffin colonies are determined by nest site availability . the higher the breeding site above the water , the less favorable it is considered to be .
the tufted puffin is the largest puffin and is characterized by long , straw - colored feathers that extend back from its crown during the mating season .
the greatest natural predator of the puffin is the great black - backed gull . this gull can catch adult puffins in mid - air . the great black - backed gull will circle high above a puffin colony and pick out a solitary puffin and catch it from behind by dive bombing the unwary puffin .
a striking seabird , the horned puffin nests in colonies on islands and coastlines of alaska . it spends most of the year on the high seas of the northern pacific .
protection / threats / status : the horned puffin has large populations , although some declines or fluctuations can be reported . but currently , the species is not globally threatened .
hatch , s . 2002 . activity patterns and monitoring numbers of horned puffins and parakeet auklets .
tocidlowski , m . , t . cornish , m . loomis , m . stoskopf . 1997 . mortality in captive wild - caught horned puffin chicks ( fratercula corniculata ) .
tufted puffin – north pacific . winters as far south as california or honshu .
and is useful because the colony is very crowded and a puffin is often crossing another puffin’s territory as it walks . the puffins that are guarding burrows usually assume a
diet : the horned puffin feeds primarily on numerous fish species . it also takes squid , crustaceans and marine worms . it performs pursuit - diving and can reach about 40 metres depth .
horned puffin : eats small fish and invertebrates . forages by diving from the surface and swimming underwater ; spines on tongue and in mouth act as hooks , better enabling capture of fish .
horned puffin : one white egg with small dark spots is laid in a crevice or deep hole among boulders . incubation ranges from 40 to 42 days and is carried out by both parents .
in captivity the horned puffin does not do well , especially when taken as a chick . a chick ' s diet must be supplemented with vitamins or it dies quickly due to malnourishment and bacterial infections .
amaral , m . j . 1977 . a comparative breeding biology of the tufted and horned puffin in the barren islands , alaska . master ' s thesis , univ . of washington , seattle . close
the flight of the horned puffin is characterized by a quick take - off . after taking flight these birds beat their wings in a rapid yet shallow pattern . they fly at least thirty meters above the sea .
the horned puffin breeds from northern alaska to british columbia in canada . it winters in the ocean off the coast from alaska to washington . occasionally , stragglers make their way down as far south as southern california .
the horned puffin breeds from northern alaska to british columbia in canada . it winters in the ocean off the coast from alaska to washington . occasionally , stragglers will make their way down as far south as southern california .
the horned puffin ' s legs are set well back on their bodies and it is not very graceful on land , but it is a very good swimmer . it uses its wings to propel themselves and its legs to maneuver .
a puffin can fly 48 to 55 mph ( 77 to 88 km / hr ) . the puffin beats its wings rapidly to achieve this speed reaching up to 400 beats a minute . the wings can move so fast that they become a blur , giving a flying puffin the appearance of a black and white football .
atlantic puffin – north atlantic shorelines , moves as far south as morocco and new york in the winter .
a puffin also communicates information in its manner of walking . if the puffin is walking rapidly with its head lowered it is saying ,
i am just passing through and don’t mean any trouble .
this is called a
puffins live for about 20 years in the wild . the oldest known puffin lived to be 36 years old .
the horned puffin ' s legs are set well back on its body , and it is not very graceful on land , but it is a very good swimmer . it uses its wings to propel itself in the water and its legs to maneuver .
responsible stewardship of puffin colonies also benefits other seabirds such as terns and storm - petrels , which nest compatibly on the same islands . techniques developed to restore the puffin are also useful in managing endangered seabirds such as roseate terns .
sealy , s . g . 1973b . breeding biology of the horned puffin on st . lawrence island , bering sea , with zoogeographical notes on the north pacific puffins . pac . sci . no . 27 ( 2 ) : 99 - 119 . close
more than 40 seabird species in at least 12 countries have benefitted from the seabird restoration techniques developed by project puffin .
horned puffins are migratory seabirds of open ocean waters in the winter and coastal islands and rocky cliffs in the summer breeding season . the ‘horned’ part of their common name is derived from the small , dark , fleshy , horn - like projection above the eye that is present in breeding season .
flight : the horned puffin can fly but it is better swimmer than flier . it runs briefly over the water surface while beating its wings before to take off . the flight is rather laboured but strong , with rapid wingbeats . it flies high above the water .
that has the puffin stand stiffly erect with its beak next to its body and using slow exaggerated foot movements . this makes the puffin look like a soldier on guard duty , which is just what it is doing by guarding the burrow .
predators of puffins depend on the puffins as food to feed their own young . although the sight of gulls eating a puffin is not pleasant , predation at large colonies does not hurt the puffin colony because the majority of the puffins survive .
while there is little information on the life span of this species , there have been reports that some horned puffins have lived as long as twenty years .
piatt , john f . and alexander s . kitaysky . 2002 . horned puffin ( fratercula corniculata ) , version 2 . 0 . in the birds of north america ( p . g . rodewald , editor ) . cornell lab of ornithology , ithaca , new york , usa .
) conducted graduate studies on horned and tufted puffins , adding a wealth of new information on breeding biology , behavior , chick growth , diets , and habitat use in the gulf of alaska and the aleutians islands . since then , only a few studies have added substantially to our knowledge of horned puffins ( hatch and hatch
habitat : the horned puffin spends the winter at sea , mainly offshore , within the open water areas of the breeding range to the edge of the continental shelf . during the breeding season , it breeds on rocky offshore islands , rocky cliffs , boulder areas and slopes , rarely in burrows .
range : the horned puffin breeds off the coasts of siberia , alaska and british columbia . it winters at sea but infrequently in open ocean and rarely beyond the northern half of the boreal zone . its winter range is closely related to sea surface temperatures and food availability , mainly pelagic fish .
a puffin can dive for up to a minute but most dives usually last 20 to 30 seconds . while underwater , the puffin swims by using its wings to push it along under the water almost as if it were flying , while using its feet as a rudder .
the horned puffin winters offshore in adjacent areas to breeding grounds , in open waters . dispersions occur after the breeding season in september - october . the northern populations from bering sea move southwards at least to aleutians . the southern populations appear more sedentary with some s movements , even to oregon and california .
horned puffin : found along the pacific coast of north america . breeds from northern alaska south to the british columbia border . spends winters at sea south to washington and oregon ; rarely to california . preferred habitats include cold ocean waters , sea cliffs , and rocky or grass - covered islets and rocks .
harding , a . m . a . 2001 . the breeding ecology of horned puffins fratercula corniculata in alaska . master ' s thesis , univ . of durham , england . close
donations and puffin adoptions are tax - deductible . your tax - deductible donation will help us protect important nesting islands for puffins and other rare seabirds in maine .
horned puffins live primarily on the open ocean , but return to coastal nesting grounds in summer , where they mate and raise their chicks . they nest in crevices on cliffs and rocky islands , often in dense , large , mixed colonies with other puffins and auks . unlike tufted puffins that nest in burrows , horned puffins seek our rocky crevices and outcroppings for their nests , though some nest in burrows .
the puffin’s scientific name , fratercula arctica dates back to the last half of the 1800 ' s . this name means
little brother of the north
in latin . little brother alludes to ' little friar ' referring to the puffin ' s black and white plumage which is reminiscent of a friar ' s robes . a second connotation of little friar may be drawn from the puffin ' s sometime habit of holding it ' s feet together when taking off , suggestive of hands clasped together in prayer .
the open ocean is the winter habitat for horned puffins . in the breeding season , they seek out coastal islands and rocky cliffs . juveniles spend one to two years at sea before coming to land to molt
. this involves a puffin puffing up their body to look bigger and opening their wings and beak slightly . the wider the beak is opened the more upset the puffin . the puffin may also stomp its foot in place to show its displeasure . the bright colors of the feet and beak help illustrate these motions . if the aggressive encounter escalates into a full - scale brawl the puffins will lock beaks . they will then attempt to topple each other in a wrestling match by using their feet and wings in a flurry of action . a fight may gather a crowd of 10 or more puffin spectators . the combatants may become so involved in the fight they end up rolling off their rocky perch .
adopt now and receive : a certificate of adoption , a biography of
your
puffin , and the book how we brought puffins back to egg rock by stephen kress .
horned puffins nest in bluffs of fractured rock or crevices in cliff faces near the shoreline . they may also create burrows in upland areas . in the semidi islands , they occur in the same habitat as parakeet auklets (
the estimated breeding population for horned puffins today is 1 . 2 million birds , with most breeding on islands off the coast of alaska . the largest breeding populations are in the semidi islands with 350 , 000 breeders .
wehle , d . h . s . 1976 . summer food and feeding ecology of tufted and horned puffins on buldir island , alaska - 1975 . master ' s thesis , univ . of alaska , fairbanks . close
range : this species of puffin breeds from northwestern alaska south along coast to central california , and winters at sea throughout the north pacific . also , on northern coast of asia .
puffins can carry several fish back to their nest at a time . the average catch is around 10 fish per trip but the record in britain is a whopping 62 fish at once ! the puffin’s beak is specialized to hold all these fish . the puffin’s raspy tongue holds fish against spines on the palate , while it opens its beak to catch more fish .
petersen , m . r . 1983a .
horned puffin ( fratercula corniculata ) .
in the breeding biology and feeding ecology of marine birds in the gulf of alaska . , edited by p . a . baird and p . j . gould , 401 - 426 . natl . ocean . atmos . admin . , ocseap final rep . 45 : u . s . dep . commer . close
in the summer breeding season , horned puffins have characteristic white
cheeks .
 during winter , the white patch becomes darker and the
horn
 above each eye disappears . the bill becomes smaller and duller .
horned puffins prey on fish , squid , and marine worms , but the overall impact of this predation on prey populations is unknown . they have little impact on other auks because of the isolated nesting grounds this species prefers .
voice : sounds by xeno - canto the horned puffin appears mostly silent outside the breeding season . however , it can become more vocal at the breeding colony , performing some vocal displays associated with threat and defence behaviour , but also as part of courtship and communication between parents and chicks . during the disputes between two males , we can hear some growling “arrr” . but usually , puffins are less vocal than other alcidae species .
puffins are usually 10 inches tall ( 18 cm ) , which is about the height of a quart jug of milk . the puffin weighs about 500 grams , similar to a can of soda
reproduction : the horned puffin usually reoccupies the colonies between mid - may and early june . the peak of laying occurs from mid - june to mid - july . fledging takes place in september . this species breeds in small to large colonies . the nest is placed in rock crevice or crack in rock substrate , on cliff face , in cavities under boulders or talus slopes . it nests less commonly in burrows excavated in grassy island slopes .
a mating pair produces one egg , which is oval in shape . if the egg is lost it is replaced in 10 to 21 days . the egg itself is gray with purple dots , a type of spotting that suggests an ancestral habit of laying eggs out in the open . horned puffin eggs quickly become covered in guano and other debris . they incubate for around 41 days , and both males and females participate in caring for and incubating eggs .
the horned puffin is a small , pigeon - sized bird with black uppersides and a white chest and undersides . it has a white face and cheeks with a small black
horn
above its eyes and a thin , dark line that runs from its eyes to the nape of its neck . it has a large , triangular orange bill with a red tip . it has bright orange legs and webbed feet with claws on the ends of them .
the horned puffin is a small , pigeon - sized bird with black uppersides and a white chest and undersides . it has a white face and cheeks with a small black
horn
above its eyes and a thin , dark line that runs from from its eyes to the nape of its neck . it has a large , triangular orange bill with a red tip . it has bright orange legs and webbed feet with claws on the ends of them .
alaskan natives used horned puffins as food and clothing . parkas are made from the tough skin of this auk and the feathers provide the natives with further insulation . the eggs are still collected as food in the bering straight region with minimal effect on the populations .
puffins make loud growling calls usually from underground which sounds like a muffled chainsaw . the chicks
peep
for food from parents . choose a call from the list below to hear what a puffin sounds like .
puffins can also help tourism . communities benefit from having a healthy puffin colony to share with tourists who contribute to the local economy when paying to see the birds , stay in hotels , and dine in restaurants .
nettleship , d . n . , garcia , e . f . j . & boesman , p . ( 2018 ) . horned puffin ( fratercula corniculata ) . in : del hoyo , j . , elliott , a . , sargatal , j . , christie , d . a . & de juana , e . ( eds . ) . handbook of the birds of the world alive . lynx edicions , barcelona . ( retrieved from urltoken on 9 july 2018 ) .
cleptoparasites are birds that steal a puffin’s food . herring gulls often wait for puffins returning from sea with a beakload of fish , pursue them and steal the fish . they also will pull puffin eggs or chicks from their nest . puffins avoid cleptoparasites by dashing for the safety of the burrow entrance to deliver fish and to avoid gulls . puffins often circle past their burrow a dozen times or more waiting for a chance to safely deliver food .
, horned puffins , is widespread in the pacific and low arctic . it breeds along the coast of british columbia , on some islands and peninsulas around alaska , and along the bering sea coast of russia . it winters off shore , mainly in the north pacific . the species is commonly found on russian islands but can also be seen off the coast of japan and british columbia , rarely as far south as southern california . horned puffins tend to stay in their breeding grounds during the winter as long as the grounds are not iced over .
the horned puffin can be found in the northern pacific ocean , from the coast of japan and south - west canada in the south , up to and including the chukchi sea in the north . it breeds on most of the islands and coasts in this area , up to the north of its range on wrangel island , russia , but can only be found breeding as far south as the queen charlotte islands ( canada ) and sakhalinsk ( russia ) ( del hoyo et al . 1996 ) .
horned puffins forage off shore close to their breeding colonies , spending most of the year in coastal waters . they show no preference with respect to water temperature or salinity . they winter off - shore , preferring open water areas with large populations of the pelagic fish on which they feed .
while humans have hurt puffin numbers in the past , we also have the ability to restore and protect colonies . we need to reduce pollution of our coasts and do a much better job managing our fisheries . this benefits seabirds and people .
the fact that horned puffins are crevice nesting birds has made studying them and monitoring their populations quite difficult . the nesting sites are hard to locate and it may be impractical to count all individuals . instead , counting of individuals must be done by monitoring bird counts at peak season or by counting birds that have been rafted offshore .
the most common time for mating is either morning or evening . birds indicate readiness by head flicking , which may be done either on land or in water . during this display , the bill may be open or closed . members of a pair may mutually bow or put their bills side by side . horned puffins form monogamous pairs .
the word puffin is thought to be derived from the word ‘puff’ which refers to swollen . and it is the puffin chick that contributes best to this name because of its round , puffed look resulting from its dense cover of down feathers - an adaptation for retaining body heat while the parent is off fishing . indeed , they resemble little puff balls with beak and feet . puffins have also been called
clown of the ocean
and
sea parrot
because of their clown - like facial markings and colorful beak ( more like that of toucans ) .
members of the alcidae are known for their penguin - like appearance despite being unrelated to the penguin family . alcids are also known for their habit of nesting in dense colonies . to the people of iceland and the faroe islands , the atlantic puffin and their eggs are also known as food .
most puffins do not breed until they are 5 years old . the earliest a puffin may breed is at age 3 but this is only known from zoos . puffins live a long time and use their pre - breeding years to learn about feeding places , choosing a mate and nest sites .
oil spilled by tankers and drilling operations can destroy the waterproofing on puffin’s feathers causing them to die of exposure to cold temperatures . also , they become sick when they swallow oil while attempting to clean their feathers . chemicals from farming that flow from farm to river to ocean can also make puffins sick .
puffins can carry more than one fish at a time in their beaks . the average is about 10 fish per catch , but one was recorded with 62 fish in its mouth ! a puffin ' s raspy tongue holds fish against spines on the palate , while it opens its beak to catch more fish .
the great black - backed gull is the greatest predator puffins face in the natural world . the gulls are big enough to pick puffins out of the air or their burrows . fox and rats are further threats from nature . herring gulls don’t hurt the adult puffins themselves , but will often steal their food , sometimes right out of their beaks . humans have had a great impact on various puffin colonies through the years . puffins were ( and still are ) a source of food , and their skins , with feathers intact , were traditionally sewn together to make a waterproof cloak or coat . overfishing and pollution have also taken their toll on puffin colonies .
uncontrolled tourism can be harmful to puffin colonies because they need solitude to breed . people who get too close may scare off parents from their duties of feeding their chick . as long as tourists stay on boats at a safe distance and do not disturb the puffins , they can easily enjoy watching a colony during the nesting season .
fights take place frequently , even on rocky slopes , usually when another puffin is perceived to be invading the occupant’s territory . the intruder is threatened with an open bill that exposes the brightly colored mouth lining , head shaking and flicking ( head jerked upward and bent toward the back ) , and side - to - side body rocking .
humans have had a very negative effect on puffins in the past . today , there are threats on land and at sea . for example , over - fishing has caused a disaster for the colony on rost island in norway . in recent years puffin parents have not caught enough fish to feed their chicks . thousands of chicks have starved . this happened because people drastically depleted the herring stocks .
puffins often live 20 years or more . the oldest known puffin lived to be 36 years . maximum age is difficult to determine because while researchers are able to band birds , puffins abrade these bands by nesting among boulders as well as spending the majority of their lives in the open ocean , which causes leg bands to corrode over time . both these mechanisms cause bands to become too worn to read .
during winter , the bills and feet of puffins fade to dull shades of their summer colors . every spring their beaks and feet turn a colorful orange in preparation for the breeding season . the beaks and feet of puffins become brightly colored and the beak increases in size as the bird matures . the size and color of puffin beaks may serve as badges of experience and help birds assess the ‘quality’ of potential mates .
after the egg is hatched , parental care continues for 6 days . feeding of a chick is done during the day by both parents . the chick becomes able to manage its own body temperature between 5 and 6 days after hatching . after this and for the next 35 days , the chick is left alone in the nest while both parents bring it food . there is no evidence of post - fledging care and the chicks depart at night by themselves . horned puffins reach reproductive maturity between 3 and 5 years of age .
female horned puffins lay a single egg in the spring , which is incubated by both parents for 41 days . after the egg hatches , the parents tend the chick closely for the next week . the chick is born altricial , but is able to thermoregulate a little over a week after hatching . after that , the chick is left alone in the nest for the next 37 to 46 days while being attended by the parents only for feeding . pairs defend their nests and males defend their mates . males show a threat display and fight if provoked .
both parents incubate the egg . they place the egg under a wing and then lean their body against the egg . the egg hatches in about 40 days and both parents feed and protect the chick . when the chick fledges in 40 days , the parents leave the chick and return to the open ocean . the chick then goes out to the open ocean waters and remains there for at least two years . puffins breed in large colonies with the tufted puffin .
horned puffins nest in rock cervices in fragments of rocks at the base of a cliff ( talus or scree ) , among beach boulders , and in cracks and crevices in cliff faces . on a few alaskan islands , they also nest in earthen burrows . they excavate and clean their burrows or crevices using their feet , and occasionally the bill . nesting materials include grass , twigs , feathers , and even materials picked up at sea such as floating algae and plastic fishing line and nets . it is not known whether the male , female , or both prepare the nest .
these medium sized sea birds have a stout body , short wings , and feet placed far back on the body . breeding ( alternate ) : . adult horned puffins are black with a large white patch on each side of the face and white underparts from the breast to under the tail feathers . they have a large , parrot - like , oversized bright yellow to reddish - orange bill , the end third of which is red . their legs are yellowish - orange to reddish . their eyelids are red . there is a small leathery ‘horn’ extending upward from above each eye .
adult puffins mostly eat small fish , such as sand eels , herring , hake and capelin . puffin diets vary from colony to colony because of the variety of fish around the breeding islands . during winter puffins may also eat crustaceans , but their preferred food is fish . the young puffins are usually fed fish by their parents . parents carry fish in their bills and either drop them on the burrow floor or pass them to the chick . parents usually feed the chick several times each day .
puffins can serve as food for people . locals of the faroe islands , norway and iceland have hunted puffins for centuries . the lofoten people ( norway ) use special puffin dogs to dig birds from burrows among narrow rocks . the iceland and faroe island locals use a fleyg , which looks like a 4 - meter long lacrosse pole , to catch puffins in flight . hunters who do this require great skill and take pride in only taking puffins that are not bringing back food to their young . this reduces the take of breeders , if successful .
puffins preen on land and in the water . they rub the side of the bill repeatedly on their oil gland and then smear the secretion over the body feathers to waterproof them . wing - flapping is a common behavior in which the puffin lies to one side on the water so that one wing is under - water while the other is held in the air vertical to the water and flapped three to four times in the air . satisfied that one side is clean ; the bird turns onto its other side and repeats the wing - flapping . these behaviors can be watched at the aquarium’s diving bird habitat in the northern pacific gallery .
puffin chicks leave a colony when they fledge and head off to the ocean without their parents . they remain in the open ocean until they are 2 - 3 years old . then they return to the vicinity of the colony where they hatched and may nest near the burrow where they hatched . scientists are unsure how puffins find their way home and are still learning how birds migrate . the puffins may make a mental map of their birthplace and use this to return later . they may use stars , the earth’s magnetic field , sounds , smells and the visual cues of the ocean to help them make this map . while the ocean appears uniform to us , to seabirds it holds vast amounts of information we can’t sense . we still have much to learn from the migrations of seabirds .
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del hoyo , j . , collar , n . j . , christie , d . a . , elliott , a . and fishpool , l . d . c . 2014 . hbw and birdlife international illustrated checklist of the birds of the world . volume 1 : non - passerines . lynx edicions birdlife international , barcelona , spain and cambridge , uk .
the global population is estimated to number > c . 1 , 200 , 000 individuals ( del hoyo et al . 1996 ) , while the population in russia has been estimated at c . 100 - 100 , 000 breeding pairs and c . 50 - 10 , 000 wintering individuals ( brazil 2009 ) . trend justification : the population is suspected to be in decline owing to predation by invasive species and ongoing habitat destruction .
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still abundant in alaska , but undoubtedly has declined on some islands where foxes or rats have been introduced . puffins are considered especially vulnerable to effects of oil spills .
ocean , nesting colonially in burrows or crevices on sea cliffs . during summer usually on ocean waters fairly close to shore of nesting islands ; at other seasons may be very far offshore . nests mainly on rocky islands .
forages while swimming underwater . swims rapidly through schools of small fish , catching them in bill .
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 .
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 .
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 .
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 .
poorly known . departs from vicinity of northern colonies in winter ( when surrounding waters frozen solid ) . some reportedly winter near aleutians , others may be far out at sea . in some years , numbers found off california in spring , suggesting that they may have wintered very far offshore ( perhaps hundreds of miles ) and come closer to coast on northward migration . an
invasion
once reached the northwestern hawaiian islands .
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a pelagic animal lives on the open sea . in breeding season it can be found on sea cliffs or on rocky islets .
in the summer , puffins come in from the open ocean to mate . puffins form pairs that mate for life . a pair usually builds a nest in a crevice in a cliff or in a hole between boulders . the female lays only one egg a year .
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this is a large and highly varied group of birds that do not have many outward similarities . most are water birds that feed on invertebrates or small aquatic creatures . the order is well represented in washington , with seven families :
wrangel i , heard i and coasts of chukotskiy peninsula s through kamchatka and commander is to sea of okhotsk , sakhalin and n kuril is , and n & w alaska ( near barrow ; cape lisburne and diomede is ) s through bering sea to aleutians and e through gulf of alaska s to british columbia ( queen charlotte is ) . chiefly pelagic in winter , dispersing over a large area of the central north pacific .
36–41 cm ; 612 g ; wingspan 56–58 cm . large , triangular red - tipped yellow bill , laterally compressed , with orangy rictal rosette at gape , yellowish mouth and tongue . . .
generally silent at sea . at breeding colonies , a low - pitched mooing growl usually comprising a few . . .
marine , occurring along sea coasts on rocky cliffs and offshore islands . breeds mainly on rocky . . .
predominantly an inshore feeder during the breeding season , usually within 1–2 km from shore , but sometimes 16 km or more out . . . .
spring arrival and start of breeding variable , with major movement through bering sea during may and reoccupation of colonies usually mid - . . .
winters over a broad area of the central north pacific , generally over deep oceanic waters . it is . . .
not globally threatened ( least concern ) . the global population is not known precisely , in part because many of the colonies are remote and the birds nest in rock crevices , . . .
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this map displays aggregated data from ibc and my birding ( anonymously ) ; markers do not indicate precise localities .
the lights in our diving birds habitat are operated by a computer program that changes the amount of light in the exhibit to match that in their far north natural environment where the summer days of the breeding season are long and the winter at sea days very short . during the winter the habitat becomes dark at about 4 pm .
summer : gulf of alaska , aleutian islands , bering and chukchi seas , sea of okhotak , kuril islands , rarely british columbia . winter offshore in the central and north pacific ocean . rarely in southern california in late spring .
non - breeding ( basic ) : the white face patches become a smoky grayish - brown in front and silver gray in back . the bill is smaller , duller , and the plate that makes up the outer bill covering is lost . the horn is also absent and feet become a pale fleshy color . body plumage becomes blackish - gray above and brownish - gray below .
juveniles have coloration similar to that of adults in basic plumage ; however , their face patch is smoky black , their bill is shorter , narrower , and entirely grayish - brown , and their upper body plumage is a dull blackish - brown with the underparts dirty white washed with a brownish - gray color .
adults are 35 . 6 to 38 . 1 cm ( 14 to 15 in ) long and weigh 400 to 600 g ( 14 . 1 to 21 . 1 oz ) .
puffins breed in colonies . socially monogamous , they form pair bonds that often last for many years . they arrive at the breeding grounds either in pairs or form pairs shortly after arrival . courtship usually takes place on the water and begins with the male lifting his bill straight up , opening and closing his mouth , and jerking his head while the female hutches over low to the water keeping her head and neck close to her body . these actions are followed by billing in which the two birds face each other , waggle their heads , and touch bills repeatedly while opening and closing their mouths .
they walk on rocky surfaces in an upright poison clinging to the uneven path with the clawed feet that they also use in nest preparation .
puffins are well - suited to life at sea . their feathers are waterproof to keep out the cold water in which they dive to feed . their short , stiff wings help them to “fly” underwater in search of prey . their bones are very strong to withstand the pressure underwater . they can store oxygen in their body tissues and also use anaerobic respiration to enable them to make long dives .
historically , puffins were used for food and clothing by some alaskan and canadian native people such as the aleuts and the inuits . reversible parkas made from the skins of about forty - five puffins were worn feathers outside in rainy weather and feathers inside in cold dry weather . bills were used as ornaments on clothing , in children’s rattles , and on mittens worn in ceremonial dances .
our puffins eat capelin , squid , krill and silversides , and like to be hand - fed . most come right over for their three daily feedings .
they know i ' m the guy with the food ,
 says aviculturist eric miller .
most are quite polite .

hand - feeding is a form of
enrichment
 that keeps our birds happy and stimulated , but it also has practical benefits . by using food as reinforcement , eric hopes to be able to train the birds to step on a scale or undergo medical exams .
today tons of plastic trash swirls on ocean currents and seabirds looking for flashing fishes frequently mistake shiny plastic debris for food . with their stomachs full of plastic instead of fish , many oceanic birds risk starvation . you can help : less plastic on land means less plastic in the sea .
while puffins do fly , they mostly swim while at sea . their legs are set far back on their bodies , which means they ' re not very graceful on land , but they ' re very good swimmers .
puffins use counter - shading to hide from hungry predators . a dark color on top makes it hard for predators above to see they blend with the dark water . the light color on the underside helps them hide from predators swimming below .
the mission of the nonprofit monterey bay aquarium is to inspire conservation of the ocean .
in alaska , 50 % percent of all individuals live ninety kilometers from the mainland of the west coast , on the semidi islands .
( freethy , 1987 ; gatson , et al . , 1998 ; harrison , 1983 ; hatch , 1983a )
( freethy , 1987 ; gatson , et al . , 1998 ; hatch , 1983a )
( gatson , et al . , 1998 ; hoyo , et al . , 1996 )
males may perform a swim display in which they raise themselves from the water and extend their necks upwards . then they flick their heads , and at this time mounting is often observed . mating takes place mostly in water with some rare cases on land .
(
alaska seabird information series
, 2006 ; gatson , et al . , 1998 )
not much is known about the molting process besides that it takes place in autumn to winter , and bill ornaments are dropped at the end of caring for the chick .
like some other marine birds , females have sperm storage glands . it is not known if they are functional .
( freethy , 1987 ; gatson , et al . , 1998 ; hatch , 1983b )
is not well studied . some estimates are that it can survive 20 years or more .
these birds are usually not vocal but become so when they are threatened . they are diurnal , and peak time for them to be on land is between 8am and 12pm . they do not interact with other auks in their colonies .
winters close to the breeding grounds and individuals are interspersed at low densities . over - wintering locations and patterns , however , are poorly known .