Atlantic Puffin vs Budgerigar
Fratercula arctica compared with Melopsittacus undulatus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Atlantic Puffin | Budgerigar |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fratercula arctica | Melopsittacus undulatus |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Psittaciformes |
| Family | Alcidae | Psittaculidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 18.0 cm (7.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) |
| Weight | 380.0 g (13.40 oz) | 30.0 g (1.06 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish, especially sand eels, herring, and capelin. Dives underwater using wings for propulsion, catching … | Primarily grass seeds and other small seeds. In the wild, feeds on the ground in … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 4-6 |
| 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.
Budgerigar
Open grasslands, scrublands, and woodland in the Australian interior. Nomadic, following rainfall and seeding events.
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.
Budgerigar
A rising, chattering 'budgerigar' chatter: rapid series of 'chek-chek-chek' and melodic warbling. Enormous wild flocks produce a continuous roaring chorus. Good vocal mimics in captivity.
Geographic Range & Migration
Atlantic Puffin
North Atlantic from eastern Canada and northeastern United States to Iceland, Norway, and northwest Russia.
Budgerigar
Interior of Australia, especially arid and semi-arid regions. One of the most popular pet birds worldwide.
Conservation Status
Atlantic Puffin
Budgerigar
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
Budgerigar
Wild-type is green with yellow head and barred black scalloping on upperparts. Captive-bred varieties include blue, white, yellow, and many other colors.
Short, downward-curved, olive-grey bill typical of parakeets
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.
Budgerigar
The budgerigar is the third most popular pet in the world after dogs and cats, and by far the most common pet parrot. Wild budgies travel in enormous nomadic flocks that can darken the sky. Males can learn to mimic human speech, with one record-holding budgie having a vocabulary of 1,728 words.