Conservation
In the recent past, Tufted Puffins nested on many islands on the west coast of the U.S. Though populations are still strong in parts of Alaska, within the last century their populations have declined by >90% in California, Oregon and Washington, and they are in danger of disappearing entirely from this important part of their range. The factors causing this decline are complex and interacting, and include historic oil spills, historic fisheries bycatch, increases in predator populations, and ecosystem changes related to warming ocean waters and shifting forage fish prey bases. Our research is unravelling how these factors affect puffins, to identify effective conservation measures to help the species thrive. We have leveraged our research to help get Tufted Puffins listed as Endangered by Washington State, Sensitive by Oregon, and as a Species of Special Concern in California. Our collaborative research and conservation program focuses on tracking population trends over time, assessing drivers of regional declines, conducting outreach and education programs for the public and policy-makers, and laying the foundation for potential future active restoration efforts on puffin breeding colonies.
About the species
Tufted Puffins are a widespread seabird that breed along the Pacific Rim from California through Alaska in North America and in Japan and Russia in Asia. The only part of its range that has a stable breeding population is the western Aleutian Islands. They breed on mammalian predator-free islands, typically in burrows that they excavate. During the breeding season, they forage for small fish over the continental shelf and shelf break, carrying whole fish back to their chicks in their bills. Tufted Puffin migration is poorly understood, although they are thought to spend the winter months on the open ocean in the north Pacific.
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