Atlantic Puffin vs Tufted Puffin
Fratercula arctica compared with Fratercula cirrhata
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Atlantic Puffin | Tufted Puffin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Fratercula arctica | Fratercula cirrhata |
| Order | Charadriiformes | Charadriiformes |
| Family | Alcidae | Alcidae |
| Conservation Status | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Length | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 56.0 cm (22.0 in) | 38.8 cm (15.3 in) |
| Weight | 380.0 g (13.40 oz) | 767.3 g (27.07 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.
Tufted Puffin
Geographic Range & Migration
Atlantic Puffin
North Atlantic from eastern Canada and northeastern United States to Iceland, Norway, and northwest Russia.
Tufted Puffin
Conservation Status
Atlantic Puffin
Tufted Puffin
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
Tufted Puffin
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.
Tufted Puffin
Tufted Puffin, 36–41 cm, is the largest North Pacific puffin, breeding on grassy slopes of islands from California to Kamchatka. Jet-black body, white face, massive orange-red bill, striking golden head tufts. Piscivore; carries multiple fish crosswise in bill. Pelagic in winter across North Pacific.