Tufted Puffin Photo Gallery
Breeding adult
Stocky black seabird. Breeding birds have a white face, long yellow plumes at the back of the head, and a large triangular red and orangish bill.
© Benjamin Van Doren / Macaulay LibraryKamchatka Krai, June 26, 2013Breeding adult
Large mostly black seabird with an unmistakable red bill. Breeding birds have yellow head plumes.
© Matt Brady / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 25, 2010Breeding
Mostly black seabird with large, triangular bill. Breeding birds have extravagant head plumes and face pattern, but this can be difficult to see at long range.
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 21, 2002Not all videos have soundNonbreeding adult/immature
Nonbreeding birds are dark overall, with a gray face, reduced yellow plumes, and a smaller orange and gray bill.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 27, 2010Breeding adult
In flight, entirely black below including underwings.
© Liam Singh / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 25, 2016Nonbreeding adult/immature
Nonbreeding birds have smaller bills, lacking the yellow plates visible during the breeding season. Appears entirely dark at a distance.
© Malcolm Blanchard / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, November 01, 2020Compare with Similar Species
Click on an image to compare
Species in This Family
Auks, Murres, and Puffins(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Alcidae)
More to Read
Don't miss a thing! Join our email list
The Cornell Lab will send you updates about birds,
birding, and opportunities to help bird conservation.