North American field guide

Horned Puffin

Fratercula corniculata

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Identification

Field notes

38 cm (15") Locally common in North Pacific Ocean in nesting colonies. Winters at sea. Massive yellow laterally flattened bill with a red tip in breeding season. In winter the bill is smaller and grayish. Black back and white underparts.

Details in the field

Photo gallery

1 photo

Credit: Francesco Veronesi

Watch and learn

Videos

2 videos

Horned puffin 2 FullHD JH1RNZ

Credit: JH1RNZ

Horned Puffins Round Island, Alaska.

Credit: ADF&G

Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant 4 rules

These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.

Horned Puffin

4 rules

Rule 1 14 criteria confidence 4

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Gull-like, or a Seabird · Duck or Goose-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Open ocean; beyond sight of land · Only or mostly in flight over saltwater
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:681-horned-puffin:1:1 Source: 681 Horned Puffin, row 1

Rule 2 14 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Yellow · Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Gull-like, or a Seabird · Duck or Goose-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Spring · Summer
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Open ocean; beyond sight of land · Only or mostly in flight over saltwater
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:681-horned-puffin:2:1 Source: 681 Horned Puffin, row 2

Rule 3 14 criteria confidence 4

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Gull-like, or a Seabird · Duck or Goose-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Fall · Winter
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Open ocean; beyond sight of land · Only or mostly in flight over saltwater
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Northwestern Canada or United States

result:681-horned-puffin:3:1 Source: 681 Horned Puffin, row 3

Rule 4 14 criteria confidence 1

What colour were the LEGS or FEET ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Red, or pink · Unknown
What colour was the SIDE ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BACK ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BREAST ?: White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
What colour was the THROAT ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
What colour was the BILL ?: Orange, buff (orange-yellow), or tan · Olive (yellowish-green) · Green · Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
What SHAPE was the BILL ?: Straight and thick · Flattened · Unknown
What LENGTH was the BILL ?: Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?: Gray, or blue-gray · Unknown
How BIG was the bird ?: Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized · Crow-sized
What TYPE of bird was seen ?: Gull-like, or a Seabird · Duck or Goose-like
WHEN was the bird seen ?: Fall · Winter
What type of environment was the bird seen in?: Saltwater marsh or wetland · Flat saltwater shore; beach · Rocky saltwater shore; cliff · Open ocean; beyond sight of land · Only or mostly in flight over saltwater
WHERE was the bird seen ?: Southwestern United States

result:681-horned-puffin:4:1 Source: 681 Horned Puffin, row 4