Future of Oceans lecture: “Puffins: Beloved Sentinels of Ocean Health”

Who doesn’t love Puffins? With their brightly colored parrot-bills, tuxedo plumage, and upright waddle-walk, these iconic seabirds are cherished around the world. Not only are plush toy Puffins found in gift shops everywhere, but their chubby images may also be found on national coins, banknotes and stamps in dozens of countries. Also known as “clowns of the sea”, public lore suggests they live a care-free life of little hobbits in their burrows on idyllic grassy offshore islands. However, the reality is that puffins are athletic, resilient, and voracious marine predators living in an extreme environment for birds. Agile and fast aerial flyers, they also “fly” under water to great depths in pursuit of schooling prey. In this presentation, you will find out why puffins are among the most successful seabird species breeding in the Northern Hemisphere, and how they thrive in remote ocean wildernesses. You will also learn about their “Achille’s heel”, and what is currently the greatest threat to their survival.

John Piatt is a seabird scientist whose career began at seabird colonies in Newfoundland and spanned 37 years with the U.S. Department of the Interior studying seabirds in Alaska. His research on forage fish and their predators has contributed to more than 350 scientific papers and reports, and he has served as a journal editor, professor, and science advisor. Retired from public service in 2024, John is now director of the World Puffin Congress, a nonprofit ocean education organization based in Port Townsend.

This event is FREE - Thanks to the Darrow Family for their ongoing support.