Atlantic Puffin vs Blue Jay
Fratercula arctica compared with Cyanocitta cristata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Atlantic Puffin | Blue Jay |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fratercula arctica | Cyanocitta cristata |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Alcidae | Corvidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 28.0 cm (11.0 in) |
| Wingspan | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) | 42.0 cm (16.5 in) |
| Weight | 380.0 g (13.40 oz) | 87.0 g (3.07 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish, especially sand eels, herring, and capelin. Dives underwater using wings for propulsion, catching … | Omnivorous — nuts (especially acorns), seeds, berries, insects, and occasionally eggs or nestlings of other … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 2-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Atlantic Puffin
Breeds on grassy cliff tops and offshore islands. Spends winter entirely at sea in the North Atlantic.
Blue Jay
Deciduous and mixed forests, parks, and suburban areas. Highly adaptable to human-modified landscapes.
Song & Call Comparison
Atlantic Puffin
At burrow gives a low, moaning 'arr-arr-arr' growl. Silent at sea. At breeding colonies produces a series of grunting croaks. Chicks give soft peeping calls.
Blue Jay
A harsh, ringing 'jaay-jaay-jaay'. Also mimics Red-tailed Hawk and other species convincingly. Gives soft, liquid 'bell' calls and gurgling whispers in flocks.
Geographic Range & Migration
Atlantic Puffin
North Atlantic from eastern Canada and northeastern United States to Iceland, Norway, and northwest Russia.
Blue Jay
Eastern and central North America from southern Canada to the Gulf Coast. Some populations migrate irregularly.
Conservation Status
Atlantic Puffin
Blue Jay
How to Tell Them Apart
Atlantic Puffin
Black upperparts and white underparts with a distinctive white face. In breeding season, the face brightens and colourful bill plates develop. Winter plumage is duller with a darker face.
Large, laterally compressed, triangular bill — bright orange, blue, and yellow in breeding season
Blue Jay
Bright blue upperparts with black barring on the wings and tail. White face and underparts with a black necklace. Prominent blue crest.
Stout, straight black bill
About These Birds
Atlantic Puffin
The Atlantic puffin, often called the clown of the sea, is a charismatic seabird that nests in burrows on northern sea cliffs. Puffins can carry up to a dozen fish crosswise in their beaks at once thanks to backward-facing spines on their palate. Climate change and overfishing are threatening their food supply, leading to population declines.
Blue Jay
The blue jay is a bold, intelligent member of the corvid family known for its striking plumage and loud calls. Blue jays are important dispersers of oak trees, as they cache thousands of acorns each autumn. Their complex social behavior includes mimicking the calls of hawks to scare other birds from feeders.