Tufted Puffin Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesTufted Puffin
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 sound
Nonbreeding 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, 2020Similar SpeciesRhinoceros Auklet
Breeding adult
Rhinoceros Auklets lack the Tufted Puffin's white cheek patch and has a smaller bill.
© Ken Langelier / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, August 24, 2016Similar SpeciesRhinoceros Auklet
Nonbreeding
Nonbreeding Rhinoceros Auklets have a thinner bill than nonbreeding Tufted Puffins. Compared to nonbreeding and juvenile Tufted Puffins, Rhinoceros Auklets have white (not gray) under the tail.
© Kim Beardmore / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, August 24, 2016Similar SpeciesHorned Puffin
Breeding adult
Horned Puffins have a white belly while Tufted Puffins have a black belly.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 30, 2013Similar SpeciesHorned Puffin
Nonbreeding adult
Horned Puffins have a white belly while Tufted Puffins have a black belly.
© Kasia & Takashi Someya / Macaulay LibraryHokkaido, November 22, 2015Similar SpeciesAtlantic Puffin
Breeding
The range of the Atlantic Puffin does not overlap with Tufted Puffin. Atlantic Puffins have a white belly unlike Tufted Puffins.
© Fyn Kynd / Macaulay LibraryMaine, June 16, 2015Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Auks, Murres, and Puffins(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Alcidae)
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