The puffin's name was originally stolen from a fatty snack

Nature · Published 20 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The iconic name 'puffin' didn't start with these birds. It began as a culinary term for salted meat. Only later did the Atlantic puffin claim the title, and the horned puffin joined the ranks as a relative of the famous North Atlantic species.

The word 'puffin' is an Anglo-Norman term originally used to describe the fatty, salted meat of young birds from an unrelated species: the Manx shearwater. It was only much later that the name was applied to the Atlantic puffin, likely due to similar nesting habits. By 1768, the name was formally applied to that species by Pennant, eventually extending to include the Pacific relatives like the horned puffin.

While they share a name and general appearance, the horned puffin is distinguished by a unique 'horn' of black skin above the eye in adults. Their binomial name, Fratercula corniculata, reflects this: 'fratercula' means 'friar'—referencing their monk-like black-and-white plumage—while 'corniculata' means 'horn-shaped.' These birds are monomorphic, meaning males and females share the same coloring, though they possess distinct behaviors and physical traits like a larger bill than other puffin species.

The horned puffin's life is defined by high-stakes displays and specialized biology. During breeding, their bills grow a bright yellow and orange outer layer (rhamphotheca) that is fluorescent to attract mates—a signal they can see using ultraviolet vision. They are also masters of 'underwater flight,' using powerful wings as oars and webbed feet as rudders to dive up to 30 meters deep. Unlike many other seabirds, they feed their chicks whole fish directly from the bill rather than regurgitating them.

Population estimates place roughly 1,200,000 horned puffins in the North Pacific, with a heavy concentration of 760,000 in the Alaska Peninsula. They are non-migratory but spend winters far out at sea. Recently, researchers have observed a possible new breeding location in Washington state, which could represent a significant expansion of their range hundreds of miles from their traditional grounds.

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