Fratercula corniculata
Range
They winter off the coast of Alaska down to Washington.
Habitat
They are found on the open sea. They breed on cliffs over the ocean or on rocky islands.
Body Traits
They are small birds with a large triangle-shaped beak with a red tip. They are black on top with a white chest and belly. They have a white face and cheeks with a dark line that runs from their eyes to their neck. They have orange legs and webbed feet that are set so far back that they don’t walk very well, but they are great swimmers.
Habits
They are better swimmers than flyers. They have to run along the water or dive off of cliffs to take off and fly.
Diet
They eat fish and other sea creatures. They can dive up to 80 feet and catch several fish at a time.
Reproduction
They mate for life, building a nest on a cliff or rocky place. They nest among many puffins in a colony. The female lays 1 egg that both parents keep warm (incubate).
Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Aves
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Alcidae
Genus: Fratercula
Species: F. corniculata