Where do puffins live?

Puffins breed on islands and coastal cliffs. The BTO describes their grassy burrow sites above cliffs; outside the breeding season they spend their time at sea.

Yes. Puffins fly as well as swim. The RSPB species guide shows an adult in flight, alongside its identification features.

Sandeels are an important food for UK puffins, according to the RSPB.

Are puffins endangered?

Their status depends on the area and assessment. The BTO lists them as UK Red-listed, Endangered in Europe and Vulnerable globally. Those are separate classifications, not interchangeable labels.

BTO measurements give an average adult body weight of about 387g and a wing length of about 16cm. That is the measured wing length, not the wingspan; see the BTO biometrics.

When is the best time to see puffins in the UK?

Spring and early summer. The BTO says puffins arrive at breeding sites from March; Bempton Cliffs suggests April to mid-July, and Skomer says May to July.

No. The RSPB lists the puffin among the auks, a family of seabirds.

Where to See Puffins in the UK, and When

When puffins are here

Out of season you won't find a puffin on land. According to the BTO, UK birds winter out on the open ocean, ranging over the eastern Atlantic. They start coming back to the colonies in March. They're auks rather than ducks, as the RSPB's species page shows, and they feed their chicks largely on sandeels.

When to see puffins

Compare the visiting windows quoted by each colony's operator below. These are seasonal guides, so check the linked site before travelling. A cell marked “Not quoted here” gives no visiting window for that month.

Puffin visiting windows by colony and month
Colony and source	April	May	June	July
Bempton Cliffs, RSPB	Suggested visiting time	Suggested visiting time	Suggested visiting time	Until mid-July
Skomer, Wildlife Trust	Arriving from mid-April	Present	Present	Leaving from mid-July; gone by the end
Handa Island, Scottish Wildlife Trust	Not quoted here	Best seen from mid-May	Best seen	Best seen
Sumburgh Head, RSPB	Summer; the operator does not give exact months on that page

Bempton Cliffs, Yorkshire (RSPB)

The RSPB suggests you plan your visit between April and mid-July to watch puffins nesting on the cliff edge. It says half a million seabirds gather there between March and August.

Skomer, Pembrokeshire (Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales)

The Trust says puffins start arriving in mid-April and are present from May to July. They start leaving in mid-July and are gone by the end of the month.

Three puffins standing among pink sea thrift on a grassy clifftop — Clifftop Puffins.

Can't get to a colony this year? Our puffin and seabird prints bring the cliffs indoors.

Handa Island, Sutherland (Scottish Wildlife Trust)

The Trust says puffins are best seen from mid-May to July. A pedestrian ferry runs on demand from Tarbet, Monday to Saturday, operated independently of the Trust.

Sumburgh Head, Shetland (RSPB)

The RSPB says Sumburgh Head has thousands of seabirds, including puffins, in summer. It doesn't give exact months on that page. The headland is the southern tip of mainland Shetland, with a lighthouse standing on top of the cliffs where the birds nest.

Before you go

Each site sets its own opening times, boat schedules and rules for getting close to nesting birds. Check the site's own page before you travel, and keep to paths near cliff edges.

A puffin for your wall

Our puffin prints include puffins among sea thrift, diving gannets and a cormorant drying its wings. If you photograph puffins yourself, we can print your photo as it is.

Sources

Published 9 October 2026.

Written by Craig Fearn, Still & Wake. Last updated 26 October 2026.

Craig Fearn runs Still & Wake. He writes the guides and journal.

Where to see puffins in the UK, and when