Atlantic Puffin vs Great Cormorant
Fratercula arctica comparé à Phalacrocorax carbo
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Atlantic Puffin | Great Cormorant |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Fratercula arctica | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| Ordre | Charadriiformes | Suliformes |
| Famille | Alcidae | Phalacrocoracidae |
| Statut de conservation | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 30,0 cm (11.8 in) | 90,0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Envergure | 56,0 cm (22.0 in) | 145,0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Poids | 380,0 g (13.40 oz) | 2600,0 g (91.71 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Small fish, especially sand eels, herring, and capelin. Dives underwater using wings for propulsion, catching … | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … |
| Taille de la couvée | 1 | 1-7 |
| 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.
Great Cormorant
Coasts, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Nests in colonies in trees, on cliffs, or on the ground.
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.
Great Cormorant
Deep, guttural grunts and 'karrr' calls at colonies. Bill-clicking and hissing in threat displays. Silent at sea. Colonial noise can be deafening during the breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
Atlantic Puffin
North Atlantic from eastern Canada and northeastern United States to Iceland, Norway, and northwest Russia.
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Statut de conservation
Atlantic Puffin
Great Cormorant
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
Great Cormorant
All black with a bronze-green gloss. White throat patch and white thigh patches in breeding season. Yellow-orange face patch around the bill base.
Long, hooked, dark bill with a yellow gape
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.
Great Cormorant
The great cormorant is one of the most widespread seabirds in the world. Unlike most waterbirds, cormorants lack fully waterproof plumage, leading to the iconic pose of standing with wings spread open to dry. In Asia, cormorants have been used by fishermen to catch fish for over a thousand years.