Horned Puffin

Fratercula corniculata Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae (Auks, Murres, and Puffins)
Fratercula corniculata Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae (Auks, Murres, and Puffins)

This gorgeous bird looks like the Pacific counterpart to the Atlantic Puffin, though unlike both the Atlantic and Tufted Puffins, the Horned Puffin often nests on cliffs rather than burrowing into the rocky ground. The base of its orange-tipped bill is bright yellow while that of the Atlantic Puffin is slate gray; the ranges of the two species do not overlap, so this tip is more helpful for identifying the toy puffins, ornaments, and other puffin trinkets sold in gift shops than the birds themselves.

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