Mr. Punch of Birdland is an apt nickname for this bird in Spring plumage. With flowing head plumes, grotesque bill and vermilion feet, they seem like apparitions from some strange world. The extraordinary bill is built up of 18 plates, 16 of which are shed after the breeding season. This is an effective weapon and few enemies attack the bird guarding its home.
In southern parts of its range, eggs are laid in rock crevices but where earth covers the island they excavate deep winding burrows and the young enjoy comparative safety, snugly nestled in these caves.
Coasts and islands of northwest coast and Arctic ocean. South to Santa Barbara Islands, California.