Lincoln Park Zoo

Common name: Tufted puffin Latin Name: Fratercula cirrhata Class: Birds Order:    Charadriiformes Description Tufted puffins have entirely black bodies, offset only by their white cheeks and orange beaks. During breeding season, males and females develop two large tufts of blonde feathers that extend back over the back of the head. These tufts give the species its name. The bird’s bill also gains blue, red and yellow highlights during breeding season.

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Range
Tufted puffins nest on shores lining the Pacific Ocean, from California through Alaska and Japan to northeast Asia.

Status
Common

Habitat
During breeding season, the tufted puffin nests on cliffs and islands. During the rest of the year, the bird lives exclusively at sea.

Niche
The tufted puffin’s diet is composed of fish, mollusks and crustaceans. The bird dives underwater to feed, using specially adapted wings to swim after prey.

Life History
Tufted puffins spend most of their lives on water but rear their chicks on land. Mating pairs will dig burrows two–four feet deep on islands or atop cliffs to house their eggs. The male and female share parenting duties, incubating eggs and bringing food for chicks in shifts. New offspring are abandoned by their parents roughly 40 days after hatching; these chicks head to sea on their own, feeding themselves as they hone their flying ability.

Special Adaptations

• Spines in the tufted puffin’s beak help it gather fish to feed its young. By using the tongue to push fish up against the spines, tufted puffins can carry up to 30 fish at one time.
• The tufted puffin is able to drink seawater—specialized glands in the eyes, nose and mouth help excrete excess salt.