Atlantic Puffin vs Cassin's Auklet
Fratercula arctica compared with Ptychoramphus aleuticus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Atlantic Puffin | Cassin's Auklet |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fratercula arctica | Ptychoramphus aleuticus |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Alcidae | Alcidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Near Threatened |
| Length | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) | 24.2 cm (9.5 in) |
| Weight | 380.0 g (13.40 oz) | 175.0 g (6.17 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish, especially sand eels, herring, and capelin. Dives underwater using wings for propulsion, catching … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1 |
| 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.
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.
Cassin's Auklet
Geographic Range & Migration
Atlantic Puffin
North Atlantic from eastern Canada and northeastern United States to Iceland, Norway, and northwest Russia.
Cassin's Auklet
Conservation Status
Atlantic Puffin
Cassin's Auklet
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
Cassin's Auklet
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.
Cassin's Auklet
Cassin's Auklet, 21–23 cm, is a small, almost entirely dark grey auklet breeding in burrows on rocky North Pacific islands from Baja California to the Aleutians. Feeds almost exclusively on zooplankton — euphausiids and copepods — at night. Highly colonial; winters near shore.