SEA Logo

Shoreline Education for Awareness

SEA Inc.
button  About SEA

button   Where SEA works

button   How SEA prepares to serve

button What SEA can show you 

button  Home
 At the Puffin Party

HABITAT:
●       The Tufted Puffin is found along the Pacific coast from Alaska to southern California. They nest along the entire Oregon coast on coastal rocks where soil topped islands exist.

    Two thirds of the puffins in Oregon nest at Three Arch Rocks NWR. Tufted Puffins have the most extensive latitudinal distribution of all the alcids ranging from Japan, through the Aleutian Islands south through Oregon to southern California. They are colonial nesters although they will nest singly.
   
    Tufted Puffins need enough of a slope to give them the right amount of  lift to take off into the air from the rock or nest site location. Although they are not the most graceful birds in the air they are a graceful and beautiful winged-propelled diver..  Tufted Puffins winter at sea and are rarely seen from  land during that time.  A pelagic bird only coming ashore to breed

●        BREEDING - NESTING:    Their nests are burrows in the soil that can be up to six feet long. The nest itself  is at the
    end of the burrow, usually lined with dry grasses and feathers.  They nest in simple burrows that they dig with their bill and feet and may also nest in crevices in shoreline rocks
    TIME OF YEAR:   In April, laying begins with a clutch of a single egg.
    INCUBATION is 44 days by both sexes.
    FLEDGE: The young bird will fledge at forty-nine days (49) but can leave the burrow before that time.
    DIET: Anchovies, smelt, sand lance, and herring make up most of their diet. The young are fed small fish that are carried in the adults beaks three or four at a time.
   TUFTED PUFFIN   
    an Alcid     (Fratercula cirrhata)

●    LENGTH:  12.5 inches

●    PLUMAGE: The Tufted Puffin molts the top layer of its colorful beak (yellow - orange) every summer after chicks have fledged marking the end of the breeding season. Sexes are alike in all plumages.  Entire plumage blackish except large, triangular white patch that extends from base of upper mandible back along side of head (passing through eye) to narrowest low point on side or rear crown
●   EYE RING: Orbital ring ~ Black in young and coral red in breeding birds.  Juvenile plumage fully developed at departure from nest; the down sometimes remains on nape and rump.
●   LEGS AND FEET
    In juvenile and sub-adult birds, legs and webs dark charcoal black, back side of  tarsus ( The group of small bones in the ankle and upper foot)  and underparts of toes and webs light gray. In breeding period adults: brilliant orange-red legs and webs with black nails; underparts of toes, webs and back side of tarsus orange-red.
●   LONGEVITY: The Tufted Puffin's longevity record is six years.
●     BILL: Young, mostly black/gray; Adult: Immature similar to adult basic but bill is smaller and darker ~ Adult: Large, thick bill of orange, some red and yellow during breeding season (April to July).
●     VIEWING AREAS:
        Seen in the Wild:
            * Coquille Point, Bandon ~ usually swimming at base of near-shore rocks.
            * Face Rock, Bandon ~ one nesting pair 2005.   
            * Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach OR ~ many nesting pairs
            * Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area (BLM Mgt.)  - Newport OR (North - Hwy 101)
        Captive:
            * Newport OR Aquarium                   
                                 Puffin Chick 
 Tufted puffin chick
6-10-05

If you want to get more information or to make a comment, just click the  mailbox below to send us e-mail; or you can call our President Bill at 541-290-8595, our Director of Education Joan at 290-0030 or our Docent Coordinator Jeanie at 888-5282.


Mail Box Send e-mail to SEA Inc.

Page designed by Bill-R@SEA-edu.org Updated  20 Nov 2006