Tufted Puffin
NameTufted Puffin
Common NameTufted Puffin
Scientific NameFratercula cirrhata
FamilyAlcidae
Wingspan (cm)67
Length (cm)37.5
Weight (g)880
Plumage DetailsDuring breeding season, adults have a dark sooty-brown body, a white face with long, golden-white tufts extending back from behind the eyes, and a large, brightly colored bill that is orange with a yellowish base. The eye has a prominent red ring. Non-breeding plumage is duller, lacking the prominent tufts and with a smaller, less colorful bill.
Vocalization / CallGenerally quiet at sea, but vocal at breeding colonies, producing low growls, grunts, and a distinctive 'arr-arr-arr' call.
Primary Dietpiscivore
Primary Habitatscoastal cliffs, rocky islands, open ocean
Conservation Statusleast-concern
Geographic RangeFound in the North Pacific Ocean, from northern Japan and the Kuril Islands, across the Bering Sea, to the coasts of Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California.
Identifying Featureslong golden-white head tufts, white face patch, large orange and yellow bill, dark sooty-brown body, red eye ring
Description
The Tufted Puffin is a distinctive seabird characterized by its striking white facial plumes during the breeding season and a large, brightly colored bill. These birds are expert divers, foraging for small fish and marine invertebrates in coastal waters, and nest in burrows on remote islands and cliffs.
