Tufted Puffin
Among the many seabirds of Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary is the tufted puffin. Tufted puffins are known for their distinctive appearance, with a bold white “face-mask” and golden head plumes in the breeding season. They are graceful hunters underwater, and can hold multiple fish crosswise in their bill to carry back to their chicks.
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SCIENTIFIC NAME: Fratercula cirrhata
DIET: Mostly fish, some small squid and zooplankton
WINGSPAN: Average 30 inches
LIFE SPAN Possibly 20+ years
CLUTCH SIZE: 1 egg
THREATS: Oil spills, fishing bycatch, prey scarcity, pesticides, and habitat destruction
STATUS: Protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act
FUN FACT: Tufted puffins nest in burrows on slopes or cliffs.