Tufted puffins are seabirds that breed along the coasts of the North Pacific Ocean and spend their winters far out to sea. Understanding where tufted puffins go during their annual migrations can provide important insights into their biology and conservation.
The tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) is a medium-sized seabird in the alcid family. It breeds in large colonies on islands and coastal cliffs from California to Alaska and across the northern Pacific to Russia and Japan. Its distinctive breeding plumage includes golden head plumes, a large yellowish bill, and white “eyelashes.”
Tufted puffins spend most of their lives offshore and only come to land during the breeding season. After raising their single chick, the adults leave the breeding colonies and migrate far out to sea. Their winter range and migration routes have long been a mystery to scientists.
Breeding and Migration Cycle
Tufted puffins have a predictable annual cycle of breeding and migration:
- Late March to early April – Arrive at breeding colonies
- April to August – Form pairs, lay egg, incubate egg, raise chick
- August to September – Fledge chick, then leave colonies
- September to March – Spend winter at sea
Their breeding biology is precisely timed to match the peak availability of small fish and zooplankton. After raising their chick, the adults leave the colony and won’t return to land until the next breeding season 7-8 months later.
Winter Range
Determining exactly where tufted puffins go in the winter has been a challenge for scientists. Their remote pelagic habitat means they are difficult to survey once they disperse offshore. However, a variety of techniques have shed light on their probable wintering range:
- Band recoveries – Recoveries of banded birds provide definitive location records, although relatively few puffins are recovered in winter.
- At-sea surveys – Ship-based surveys of offshore areas have documented the distribution of puffins and other seabirds.
- Geolocation loggers – Miniature tracking devices can record an animal’s location throughout the year.
Together, these methods indicate that tufted puffins spend the winter dispersed across a broad swath of the North Pacific between the Aleutian Islands and California. They largely avoid coastal and continental shelf areas and instead concentrate in productive offshore and shelf-edge habitats.
Migration Routes
Tufted puffins appear to follow circuitous migration routes that take advantage of prevailing winds and ocean currents. Instead of migrating directly between breeding colonies and wintering areas, their journeys consist of loops and detours out across the open ocean.
Most evidence suggests the following key migration movement patterns:
- Southward movement from breeding colonies along the British Columbia and Alaska coasts during August-October.
- Westward movement towards offshore wintering areas during October-December.
- Northward movement towards breeding areas during March-April.
- Frequent detours and zigzags following wind patterns.
Individual puffins may winter anywhere from Japan to California, then return along looping routes back to their original breeding colony. Their non-direct migrations likely help locate abundant food resources.
Threats During Migration
Tufted puffins face a variety of threats during their annual migration cycles. Some key risks include:
- Food availability – Lack of small fish due to climate change and overfishing.
- Oil spills – Vulnerable to spills in offshore waters.
- Plastic pollution – Can ingest floating plastic debris.
- Predators – Gulls, eagles, foxes, etc. prey on puffins.
Protecting key breeding colonies and maintaining productive ocean food webs are important for conservation during both the breeding season and migration periods.
Future Research
While substantial progress has been made, many questions remain about the specifics of tufted puffin migration. Priorities for future research include:
- Tagging more birds with satellite transmitters to map detailed migration pathways.
- Expanded surveys of winter distribution and threats.
- Linking winter conditions to breeding success.
- Assessing impacts of climate change.
Filling information gaps will provide greater insight into puffin biology and allow better informed conservation planning for the species.
Conclusion
In summary, tufted puffins are remarkable migrants that disperse across vast stretches of the North Pacific every winter. Their annual odyssey serves as a testament to the navigational abilities and resilience of seabirds. Conserving these ocean wanderers requires protecting both breeding colonies and offshore ecosystems across the Pacific Rim.
