Birds Active during the day

Tufted Puffin

Fratercula cirrhata

iNaturalist eBird Wikipedia

With its iconic golden plumes and massive orange bill, the Tufted Puffin is often called the 'sea parrot.' These charismatic divers spend their winters in the open ocean and their summers nesting on the rugged cliffs of the North Pacific.

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Quick Identification

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Size

Length: 36–41 cm (14–16 in); Wingspan: 64–66 cm (25–26 in); Weight: 520–1,000 g (1.1–2.2 lbs)

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Colors

Breeding adults have a black body, white face, and large red-orange bill. Distinctive long, yellow plumes sweep back from above the eyes.

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Key Features

Large, triangular red-orange bill with greenish base
Sweeping yellow head plumes (tufts) during breeding season
Solid black plumage on body and wings
Bright orange-red webbed feet

When You’ll See Them

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Activity pattern Active during the day

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Peak hours 7-11 AM, 3-7 PM

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Season May-August

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Diet Primarily small forage fish like sand lance, capelin, and herring, supplemented by squid, octopuses, and crustaceans. They are pursuit-divers that catch prey deep underwater.

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Habitat Pelagic (open ocean) during winter; steep coastal cliffs and offshore islands with soil for burrowing during the breeding season.

Behavior

Tufted Puffins are masterful divers, using their wings to 'fly' underwater in pursuit of prey. They spend the vast majority of their lives far out at sea, often hundreds of miles from land, only returning to coastal regions during the spring and summer months to breed. They are highly social within their colonies but maintain a sense of privacy by nesting in deep burrows excavated with their powerful beaks and claws.

During the breeding season, their behavior revolves around chick-rearing. You'll often see them returning to the colony with several small fish held crosswise in their bills, a feat made possible by specialized serrations in their mouths. Unlike many other seabirds, they are relatively quiet on land, though they may emit low growling sounds from within their burrows during territorial disputes or mating rituals.

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Camera Tips

To capture Tufted Puffins, your best bet is a 'cliff-cam' setup rather than a traditional backyard garden placement. Look for steep, grassy slopes on coastal islands where you see signs of burrowing activity or worn 'runways' where birds land. Place your camera about 2 to 3 feet off the ground, angled slightly downward toward the entrance of a burrow or a popular 'launching point' on the cliff edge. Ensure the camera is securely mounted to a sturdy stake or rock, as high winds are a constant in their coastal habitats.

Because puffins are most active at land-based colonies during the breeding season (late spring through summer), timing is everything. Set your camera to take bursts of photos or short 15-second video clips. Puffins move surprisingly fast when they land, and a single photo might miss the action. They are most active during the early morning and late afternoon when they return from foraging trips with bills full of fish for their 'puffinlings'. Using a high shutter speed or 'action' mode is essential to freeze the motion of their rapid wingbeats.

Avoid using bait or lures, as these can disrupt the sensitive ecosystem of a seabird colony and potentially attract predators like gulls or ravens. Instead, rely on natural pathways. Look for areas of flattened grass or 'guano' spots near burrow entrances which indicate high traffic. For the best lighting, aim for a western-facing slope during sunset to catch the golden light hitting their vibrant orange bills. Always check local regulations before placing cameras, as many puffin colonies are protected sanctuaries where human presence is restricted to specific zones.

Similar Species

Species that look similar or are commonly confused with Tufted Puffin.

Horned Puffin

Features a white belly and lacks the long, flowing yellow plumes of the Tufted Puffin.

Atlantic Puffin

Found only in the Atlantic Ocean; has a white chest and face and is smaller than the Tufted Puffin.

Rhinoceros Auklet

Lacks the bright orange bill and white face; has a small 'horn' on the bill and darker, more muted plumage.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Tufted Puffins are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day. On land, they show peak activity during the early morning and late afternoon when they return to their burrows to feed their chicks.

Unless you live on a coastal cliff in the North Pacific, you won't find Tufted Puffins in a typical backyard. To see them, you must visit coastal islands or take a boat tour near their breeding colonies during the summer months.

They eat a variety of small fish, including sand lance, capelin, and smelt. They are also known to consume squid and crustaceans while foraging in the open ocean.

No, they are strictly pelagic and coastal birds. They spend their lives at sea or on remote, uninhabited islands and cliffs, far from suburban development.

The Tufted Puffin has an all-black body and long yellow head plumes during summer, while the Horned Puffin has a white belly and lacks the long flowing tufts.

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