Atlantic Puffin vs Griffon Vulture
Fratercula arctica compared with Gyps fulvus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Atlantic Puffin | Griffon Vulture |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fratercula arctica | Gyps fulvus |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Alcidae | Accipitridae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 100.0 cm (39.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) | 260.0 cm (102.4 in) |
| Weight | 380.0 g (13.40 oz) | 8500.0 g (299.83 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish, especially sand eels, herring, and capelin. Dives underwater using wings for propulsion, catching … | Exclusively carrion, primarily large mammal carcasses. Feeds communally, with groups of vultures able to strip … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Atlantic Puffin only
Griffon Vulture only
Atlantic Puffin
Breeds on grassy cliff tops and offshore islands. Spends winter entirely at sea in the North Atlantic.
Griffon Vulture
Mountains, cliffs, and open grasslands. Nests on cliff ledges in colonies. Requires thermals for soaring flight.
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.
Griffon Vulture
Generally silent; hisses and grunts at carrion with other vultures. Gives low croaking 'arrr' near nest. At colonies produces cackling and grunting — not melodic vocalizations.
Geographic Range & Migration
Atlantic Puffin
North Atlantic from eastern Canada and northeastern United States to Iceland, Norway, and northwest Russia.
Griffon Vulture
Southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia. Resident in most of its range.
Conservation Status
Atlantic Puffin
Griffon Vulture
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
Griffon Vulture
Tawny-brown body with darker flight feathers. White neck ruff and bare greyish head. Long broad wings held flat when soaring.
Hooked yellowish bill adapted for tearing carrion
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.
Griffon Vulture
The griffon vulture is one of Europe's largest flying birds and a crucial scavenger in Mediterranean ecosystems. These social birds nest in large cliff colonies and can soar for hours using thermals without flapping. Vulture populations faced a crisis from the veterinary drug diclofenac, which proved fatal when consumed through contaminated carcasses.