Puffidae

Puffidae is not recognized as a valid taxonomic family in modern avian systematics. In current classifications, birds commonly referred to as puffins belong to the genus Fratercula within the family Alcidae (the alcids). The name Puffidae has appeared in some historical or non-scientific sources but is not used by major checklists such as the IOC World Bird List or the Clements Checklist.

If defined, a Puffidae would describe small to medium seabirds with compact bodies, short wings, and strong legs, often marked by colorful bills during the breeding season. They would be skilled divers, pursuing small fish by swimming underwater with rapid wing strokes. These hypothetical birds would typically nest in colonies on coastal cliffs or islands, commonly in burrows or crevices, and exhibit site fidelity to breeding areas.

Distribution and ecology would place puffin-like taxa in boreal and temperate waters of the Northern Hemisphere, notably around the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Diet would consist primarily of small schooling fish, with adults capable of carrying multiple prey items to feeding nestlings. They are generally social during the breeding season and form long-term pair bonds, with seasonal migrations to sea outside the breeding period.

Taxonomic note: because Puffidae is not an accepted, distinct taxon in contemporary checklists, the descriptive traits attributed to Puffidae align with the established Alcidae family and Fratercula genus. Puffidae is not treated as a separate lineage in current scientific literature.

Conservation concerns for puffin-like birds in related taxa include habitat disturbance, overfishing, climate change, and introduced predators on breeding islands; several species are listed as vulnerable or near threatened in broader alcid studies.