Atlantic Puffin vs Horned Puffin

Atlantic Puffin

Fratercula arctica

Large593 gMarine

The Atlantic puffin is sturdily built with a thick-set neck and short wings and tail. It is 28 to 30 cm (11 to 12 in) in length from the tip of its stout bill to its blunt-ended tail. Its wingspan is 47 to 63 cm (19 to 25 in) and on land it stands about 20 cm (8 in) high. The male is generally slightly larger than the female, but they are coloured alike. The forehead, crown, and nape are glossy black, as are the back, wings, and tail. A broad, black collar extends around the neck and throat. On each side of the head is a large, lozenge-shaped area of very pale grey.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recorded by Killian Sullivan · Grand Manan, United States · CC0

Photo: Jakub Hałun · CC BY 4.0

Horned Puffin

Fratercula corniculata

Large536 gMarine

The height of the adult puffin is approximately 20 cm (8 in), the weight is approximately 500 g (18 oz), and the wingspan is approximately 58 cm (23 in). Horned puffins are monomorphic (the male and female exhibit the same plumage coloration). Sexually mature birds have a small fleshy black "horn" extending upwards from the eye, from which the animal derives its common name — the horned puffin. A dark eyestripe extends backwards from the eye towards the occiput. The cheeks are white, with a yellow wattle at the base of the bill. The legs and feet are orange. Voice: Horned puffins emit a relatively small number of sounds, mostly low in volume. These guttural noises are identified as cooing, roaring or grunting. The most common puffin sound is usually transcribed as "arr-arr-arr", which accelerates when the animal is threatened, becoming an "A-gaa-kah-kha-kha".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Vernon Byrd, USFWS · Public domain

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Atlantic Puffin and Horned Puffin.