Editing Puffin (section)

=== Breeding ===
[[File:Puffin falls off cliff.ogv|thumb|Atlantic puffin, [[Lundy]], UK]]
[[File:Klippen.jpg|thumb|Atlantic puffins on the [[Faroe Islands]]]]
Puffins breed in colonies on coasts and islands; several current or former island breeding sites are referred to as [[Puffin Island (disambiguation)|Puffin Island]]<!--intentional link to DAB page-->. The male Atlantic puffin builds the nest and exhibits strong nest-site fidelity. Both sexes of the horned puffin help to construct their nest. Horned puffin burrows are usually about {{convert|1|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} deep, ending in a chamber, while the tunnel leading to a tufted puffin burrow may be up to {{convert|2.75|m|ft|abbr=off|sp=us}} long. The nesting substrate of the tufted and Atlantic puffins is soft soil, into which tunnels are dug; in contrast, the nesting sites of horned puffins are rock crevices on cliffs.<ref name="BNA Horned">{{cite journal |last2=Kitaysky |first2=Alexander S. |url=http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/603 |title=Horned Puffin (''Fratercula corniculata'') |last1=Piatt |first1=John F |year=2002 |journal=The Birds of North America Online |editor=A. Poole |publisher=Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology |access-date=1 April 2009 |url-access=subscription |doi=10.2173/bna.603}}</ref> The Atlantic puffin burrow is usually lined with material such as grass, leaves, and feathers but is occasionally unlined. The eggs of the Atlantic puffin are typically creamy white but the occasional egg is tinged lilac.

Where [[rabbit]]s breed, sometimes Atlantic puffins breed in rabbit burrows.

Puffins form long-term pair bonds or relationships. The female lays a single egg, and both parents incubate the egg and feed the chick (or "puffling").<ref name="CBBC - 03Sep2009 - Kids patrol to help lost puffins ">{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_8230000/newsid_8236600/8236609.stm |title=Kids patrol to help lost puffins |date=September 3, 2009 |work=[[CBBC (TV channel)|CBBC]] |publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]] |access-date=26 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thesundayedition/the-sunday-edition-december-30-2018-1.4462999 |title=The Sunday Edition - December 30, 2018 |date=December 30, 2018 |last=Enright |first=Michael |type=Radio interview |language=en |publisher=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] |orig-year=2011 |time=48:00}}</ref> The incubating parent holds the egg against its [[brood patch]] with its wings. The chicks [[fledge]] at night. After fledging, the chicks spend the first few years of their lives at sea, returning to breed about five years later. Puffins in captivity have been known to breed as early as three years of age.

After breeding, all three puffin species winter at sea, usually far from coasts and often extending south of the breeding range.{{sfn|Harrison|1988|pp=404–406}}

Iceland is the home to most of the [[Atlantic puffin]]s with about 10 million individuals.<ref name="Xtreme.is">{{cite web |url=http://www.xtreme.is/safnahus/?p=200&s=733&i=762 |title=Safnavefur Vestmannaeyja - Fiska og náttúrugripasafn - Lundi |language=is |trans-title= |website=www.xtreme.is |access-date=15 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070812091335/http://www.xtreme.is/safnahus/?p=200&s=733&i=762 |archive-date=12 August 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The largest single puffin colony in the world is in the [[Westmann Isles]] of [[Iceland]]. In 2009, scientists estimated the number of nests to be 1.1 million,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nattsud.is/index.php?lang=2&p=200&i=15 |title=Nattsud.is |access-date=2010-03-17 |archive-date=2011-07-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722022455/http://www.nattsud.is/index.php?lang=2&p=200&i=15 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and number of individuals there is estimated to be up to 4 million.<ref name="Xtreme.is"/>