bird · GBIF taxon 2481357
Tufted Puffin
Fratercula cirrhataAlso known as Crested Puffin
Tufted puffins spend their winters solitary and silent on the open waters of the North Pacific before returning to coastal cliffs in spring to breed in bustling colonies. They dig deep nesting burrows in grassy hillsides using their strong claws and heavy bills, raising a single chick on a steady diet of small fish. During the breeding season, adults develop striking golden head tufts and a bright orange-red bill plate, both of which shed before they return to sea.
PelagicSeabirdBurrowing
- diet
- Small fish, squid, krill, and marine invertebrates
- family
- Alcidae
- threats
- Climate change shifting prey distribution, oil spills, gillnet bycatch, and introduced island predators
- life Span
- 15 to 20 years
LC
Possesses a powerful bill capable of delivering a painful bite; observe nesting colonies from a distance.
- Keep Distance: Stay on designated trails to avoid stepping on and collapsing their fragile underground nesting burrows.
- Use Binoculars: Observe their cliffside colonies from a distance or from a boat to prevent disturbing breeding pairs.
- Watch the Skies: Look for adults returning to cliffs with bills packed full of small fish to feed their chicks.