![]() Ideal habitat is steep but with a relatively soft soil substrate and grass for the creation of burrows.ĭuring the winter feeding season, they spend their time almost exclusively at sea, extending their range throughout the North Pacific and south to Japan and California. Tufted puffins typically select islands or cliffs that are relatively inaccessible to predators, close to productive waters, and high enough that they can take to the air successfully. However, the last confirmed sighting at the Channel Islands occurred in 1997. They have been known to nest in small numbers as far south as the northern Channel Islands, off southern California. While they share some habitat with horned puffins, the range of the tufted puffin is generally more eastern. Tufted puffins form dense breeding colonies during the summer reproductive season from British Columbia, throughout southeastern Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, Kamchatka, the Kuril Islands and throughout the Sea of Okhotsk. Overall, they resemble a horn-less and unmarked rhinoceros auklet. Juvenile tufted puffins resemble winter adults, but with a grey-brown breast shading to white on the belly, and a shallow, yellowish-brown bill. As a consequence, they have thick, dark myoglobin-rich breast muscles adapted for a fast and aerobically strenuous wing-beat cadence, which they can nonetheless maintain for long periods of time. During the feeding season, the tufts moult off and the plumage, beak and legs lose much of their lustre.Īs among other alcids, the wings are relatively short, adapted for diving, underwater swimming and capturing prey rather than gliding, of which they are incapable. Their feet become bright red and their face also becomes bright white in the summer. Their most distinctive feature and namesake are the yellow tufts that appear annually on birds of both sexes as the summer reproductive season approaches. They are mostly black with a white facial patch, and, typical of other puffin species, feature a very thick bill which is mostly red with some yellow and occasionally green markings. Birds from the western Pacific population are somewhat larger than those from the eastern Pacific, and male birds tend to be slightly larger than females. This truly warmed my heart.Tufted puffins are around 35 cm in length with a similar wingspan and weigh about three quarters of a kilogram. During mating season, this naughty "Romeo" of a bird will knock on the exhibit's door with his beak until she gets him to be by her while she works.įurthermore, I learned that the sea water in the exhibits is constantly exchanged with the water from Resurrection Bay so that they animals have a "live" experience during various seasons. If this bird wants to see her, he throws himself out of their habitat - and waits for someone to get her- so she can hold him & tell us about their bond and with her children. To see them in the wild, take one of the tour boats out of Seward. A great place to see them close up is in Seward, Alaska at the Alaska SeaLife Center. The Tufted Puffin has relatively short wings which is an adaptation for diving and swimming underwater. ![]() It spends the winter at sea, and nests during spring and summer in coastal colonies from California north to. The tufted puffin is found throughout the upper latitudes of the North Pacific Ocean. He had imprinted on another staff member. The Tufted Puffin are found throughout the North Pacific Ocean. Tufted puffins at colonies experience predation from bald eagles and other predators, and kleptoparasitism (food stealing) by gulls. While there, one naughty bird jumped out of his enclosure and landed on the floor. You could tell Jennifer truly loved her job by her enthusiasm and watchful eye on guests & birds. ![]() I had to restrain myself from reaching out to pet them. The birds swam up to you literally inches away. She educated us about the birds their names and personalities, including social groups. Then, I visited the water fowl room - what a fantastic experience! Jennifer, a staff member, was monitoring the room. This was amazing- highly intelligent and intuitive creatures! When I turned my back to talk to the harbor seals, Pilot climbed on a rock and bellowed until he got my attention again. I verbally interacted with Pilot, the male sea lion. ![]() I despise zoos, but loved this place! The animals and creatures were tenderly cared for and loved. "Small, yet mighty!" This is the mantra of the SeaLife Center.
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