Atlantic Puffin vs Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Fratercula arctica compared with Paradisaea raggiana
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Atlantic Puffin | Raggiana Bird-of-paradise |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fratercula arctica | Paradisaea raggiana |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Passeriformes |
| Family | Alcidae | Paradisaeidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 34.0 cm (13.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) | 45.0 cm (17.7 in) |
| Weight | 380.0 g (13.40 oz) | 260.0 g (9.17 oz) |
| Diet | Small fish, especially sand eels, herring, and capelin. Dives underwater using wings for propulsion, catching … | Fruit, seeds, arthropods, and small vertebrates. Males display at communal lek sites to attract females. |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 1-2 |
| 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.
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Tropical rainforest and forest edge from lowlands to mid-montane elevations in New Guinea.
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.
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Males emit harsh, buzzy 'kraaak' calls and explosive wailing during display. Females give softer 'waak' contact calls. Display calls are loud and chaotic at leks.
Geographic Range & Migration
Atlantic Puffin
North Atlantic from eastern Canada and northeastern United States to Iceland, Norway, and northwest Russia.
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Southern and eastern New Guinea. Endemic to Papua New Guinea.
Conservation Status
Atlantic Puffin
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
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
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
Males have a yellow crown, emerald-green throat, and spectacular cascading orange-red flank plumes. Females are brown with rufous underparts.
Stout, slightly curved, blue-grey 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.
Raggiana Bird-of-paradise
The raggiana bird-of-paradise is the national bird of Papua New Guinea, featured on the national flag and coat of arms. Males gather at traditional display trees to perform elaborate courtship dances, hanging upside down and shaking their spectacular flank plumes. Alfred Russel Wallace first described the species in 1873.