Atlantic Puffin vs Rock Pigeon
Fratercula arctica comparé à Columba livia
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Atlantic Puffin | Rock Pigeon |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Fratercula arctica | Columba livia |
| Ordre | Charadriiformes | Columbiformes |
| Famille | Alcidae | Columbidae |
| Statut de conservation | Vulnerable | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 30,0 cm (11.8 in) | 33,0 cm (13.0 in) |
| Envergure | 56,0 cm (22.0 in) | 68,0 cm (26.8 in) |
| Poids | 380,0 g (13.40 oz) | 300,0 g (10.58 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Small fish, especially sand eels, herring, and capelin. Dives underwater using wings for propulsion, catching … | Seeds, grain, fruit, and human food scraps. Primarily a ground feeder. Feral birds are heavily … |
| Taille de la couvée | 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.
Rock Pigeon
Originally cliff-nesting in Mediterranean regions. Now the quintessential urban bird, inhabiting cities worldwide on every continent.
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.
Rock Pigeon
Soft, rhythmic cooing 'roo-c'too-coo' repeated multiple times, with emphasis on second syllable. Male courtship coo is deeper and more persistent. Wing-clapping on takeoff is loud.
Geographic Range & Migration
Atlantic Puffin
North Atlantic from eastern Canada and northeastern United States to Iceland, Norway, and northwest Russia.
Rock Pigeon
Native to Europe, North Africa, and South Asia. Feral populations on every continent except Antarctica.
Statut de conservation
Atlantic Puffin
Rock Pigeon
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
Rock Pigeon
Wild-type has a blue-grey body with iridescent green and purple neck feathers, two black wing bars, and a white rump. Feral populations show enormous color variation.
Slender dark bill with a white fleshy cere at the base
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.
Rock Pigeon
The rock pigeon is the ancestor of all domestic pigeon breeds and one of the most abundant birds in cities worldwide. Pigeons have served humans as messengers, food, and subjects for scientific research — their homing ability and vision have been studied extensively. Darwin's study of pigeon breeding contributed to his theory of evolution.