Tufted Puffin
Image: <bdi><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28147777" class="extiw" title="d:Q28147777"><span title="Spanish photographer">Diego Delso</span></a></bdi> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
NameTufted Puffin
Common NameTufted Puffin
Scientific NameFratercula cirrhata
FamilyAlcidae
Wingspan (cm)63
Length (cm)38
Weight (g)750
Plumage DetailsAdults in breeding plumage have a dark sooty-black body, a prominent white face patch, and long, golden-yellow feather tufts extending backward from behind the eyes. Their large, triangular bill is bright orange and yellow, and their webbed feet are also bright orange. Non-breeding plumage is duller, lacking the prominent tufts and with a smaller, less colorful bill.
Vocalization / CallGenerally quiet at sea, but at breeding colonies, they produce low, growling or grunting calls, often described as 'arrr-arrr-arrr' or 'grrr-grrr-grrr'.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatsmarine, coastal cliffs, rocky islands
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound across the North Pacific Ocean, from northern Japan and the Kuril Islands, through the Bering Sea, to the coasts of Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon.
Identifying Featuresgolden head tufts, large orange and yellow bill, white face patch, dark body plumage, bright orange feet
Description
The Tufted Puffin is a distinctive seabird recognized by its striking golden head plumes and large, colorful bill during the breeding season. These birds are highly adapted for an aquatic life, using their powerful wings to 'fly' underwater in pursuit of fish and other marine prey.
