Tufted Puffin – State Wildlife Action Plan

Photo Credit: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata) is a widely-distributed pelagic seabird found in the North Pacific Ocean. Tufted Puffin is perhaps the most recognizable seabird in Oregon. They have a large laterally compressed orange bill. They are most commonly observed in their vibrant breeding plumage, which is overall brown-black with a striking white face mask with long cream-colored facial plumes, and eyes rimmed with red. In winter plumage it loses its bright coloration and bill plates, but is rarely seen in Oregon as Tufted Puffins are mostly pelagic during the non-breeding season.

Overview

Species Common Name Tufted Puffin
Species Scientific Name Fratercula cirrhata
State Listing Status Sensitive

Ecoregions

Coast Range

Oregon's Coast Range, known for its dramatic scenery, is extremely diverse, with habitats ranging from open sandy dunes to lush forests and from tidepools to headwater streams. It follows the coastline and extends east through coastal forest to the border of the Willamette Valley and Klamath Mountains ecoregions

Nearshore

The Nearshore ecoregion includes a variety of habitats ranging from submerged high-relief rocky reefs to broad expanses of intertidal mudflats in estuaries and hosts a vast array of fish, invertebrates, marine mammals, birds, plants, and micro-organisms. This ecoregion encompasses the area from the outer boundary of Oregon's Territorial Sea to the supra-tidal zone, and up into the estuaries.

Special needs

Tufted Puffins are pelagic seabirds, spending most of their life great distances from land. They are burrow-nesters that typically nest colonially on offshore islands or rocky headlands. They prefer steep slopes with deep soil for burrowing. Tufted Puffins require sites with minimal human or mammalian disturbance.

Limiting factors

Availability of habitat with suitable nesting substrate (soils for burrowing) is naturally limited in Oregon. Tufted Puffins are vulnerable to human disturbance, predation, oil spills, reduced forage availability, and changing ocean conditions.

Data gaps

• Work with partners to obtain accurate population estimates for this difficult-to-survey, burrow-nesting species.
• Investigate reasons for perceived declines.
• Study productivity and recruitment.
• Assess potential impacts from marine renewable energy projects.

Conservation actions

• Prevent introduction of ground predators and human disturbance near nesting areas.
• Regulate and site ocean energy development to avoid or minimize negative impacts.
• Take precautions to protect against oil spills.
• Design and participate in efforts to monitor nesting population.
• Investigate reasons for perceived population declines.
• Engage in interagency working groups (e.g. Oregon Tufted Puffin Conservation Working Group)

Key reference or plan

Regional Seabird Conservation Plan, Pacific Region. Read here

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service). 2020. Species Status Assessment Report for the Tufted Puffin (Fratercula cirrhata), Version 1.0. Anchorage Fish and Wildlife Office, Anchorage, Alaska. Read here