The tufted puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) spends most of its life at sea. They return to land to nest, usually doing so on steep rocky islands and in colonies. (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d.).

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.

-Albert Einstein

Description

The tufted puffin seabird is known for its distinctive appearance, featuring bright orange bill plates and bold white face tufts during the breeding season. Found along the North Pacific coast, these puffins are excellent divers, using their wings to “fly” underwater while hunting for fish and other marine prey.

Status

***** Status References: WA State: WDFW North America: NatureServe Global: IUCN Red List *****

Tufted puffins are considered endangered in Washington state. In 1978, it was estimated that their population was around 23,342 individuals. In 2009, it was estimated that their population was about 2,958 individuals, with only 19 of their 44 historic breeding sites being occupied (WDFW-a). It is not known why the populations are declining, but theories include predation, historical human disturbance such as oil spills, prey availability and ocean conditions changing due to climate change (WDFW-b).

Conservation

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has outlined a comprehensive recovery plan which includes population monitoring, habitat conservation, and management of invasive species. Key actions involve conducting surveys to track population trends and removing invasive rabbits from nesting sites like Destruction Island to improve habitat quality​ (Hanson, et.al., 2019)

Nature Art

Audubon’s painting of the Tufted Auk (from the Birds of America book) captures two seabirds with their unique crests. Smith’s (2024) work showcases a Tufted Puffins mating pair perched on rock cliffs, typical of their habitat on the shores of Washington.

Cover photo credit: Tufted Puffin (Edblom, 2015)

References

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Audubon, John James. (1835) The Birds of America, Plate CCXLIX; Tufted Auk [photograph of colored engraving]. Public domain. Retrieved February 26, 2024, from https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.32390.html

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Tufted Puffin. All about birds. Retrieved February 17, 2024, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Puffin/overview

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Tufted Puffin Identification. All About Birds. Retrieved July 26, 2024, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Tufted_Puffin/id

Edblom, K (2015). Tufted Puffin [photograph]. CC BY-SA 2.0. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tufted_Puffin_%2818146877634%29.jpg

Hanson, T., S. F. Pearson, P. Hodum, and D. W. Stinson. (2019). Recent and historical Tufted Puffin colony locations in Washington [image]. Washington State Recovery Plan and Periodic Status Review for the Tufted Puffin. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Olympia. Retrieved February 17, 2024, from https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Recent-and-historical-Tufted-Puffin-colony-locations-in-Washington_fig1_337498562

Ingram, T. (n.d.). Breeding Adult [photograph]. Tufted Puffin. Retrieved February 16, 2024, from https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/tufted-puffin

IUCN. (n.d.). Tufted Puffin. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T22694934A168852266. Retrieved July 19, 2024, from https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22694934/168852266

NatureServe Explorer. (n.d.). Tufted Puffin. Retrieved July 19, 2024, from https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.100853/Fratercula_cirrhata

Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. (n.d.). Olympic Coast Tufted Puffin. Earth Is Blue Magazine. Retrieved July 26, 2024, from https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/magazine/5/olympic-coast/

Sibley, D. (2003). The Sibley field guide to birds of Western North America. First edition. New York, Alfred A. Knopf.

Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. (n.d.-a). Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata). Retrieved July 26, 2024, from https://wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/species/fratercula-cirrhata

Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. (n.d.-b). Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) [PDF]. Retrieved July 26, 2024, from https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-03/tufted_puffin.pdf

Wilson, A. (2007). Tufted Puffin, Zapadni Cliffs, St. Paul Island, Alaska-cropped [photograph]. CC BY-SA 3.0. Retrieved July 22, 2024, from https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tufted_Puffin_Alaska.jpg