Birds of South Marble: Tufted Puffin

A tufted puffin swims in the waters of Glacier Bay.

NPS Photo/D. Morda

Tufted Puffin, Fratercula cirrhata

 
Mature tufted tufted puffins of both sexes have white cheeks, orange feet and bill, black belly, and distinctive yellow feather plumes curling down the back of the head and neck. They nest in colonies, their large bills used for excavating borrows in which they lay one egg. Immature and non-breeding adults are all dark, the tip of their bills and feet are a pale orange. Heavy bodied for their wing size, puffins beat their wings upwards of 400x a minute to keep airborne.
 

Measurements

Wingspan	Length	Weight
25"	15"	1.7 lbs/620 g

Know before you go: South Marble Island is closed to camping and foot traffic year-round. All vessels (including kayaks) must remain further than 50 yards from the southern half of South Marble Island and remain further than 100 yards from nesting seabird colonies. Binoculars are advised.