The horned puffin (Fratercula corniculata) is Alaska’s other iconic puffin species — closely related to the tufted puffin but distinguished by its brilliant white face, vivid orange-tipped bill, and the small dark “horn” above each eye that gives the species its name.
Similar Yet Different
Horned and tufted puffins often share breeding islands in Alaska and can be seen together on rocky cliffs during summer. Key differences:
- Horned puffin: White face, orange-tipped bill, small dark “horn”
- Tufted puffin: Dark face, all-orange bill, flowing golden tufts
Both species are equally accomplished divers, using their wings to “fly” underwater in pursuit of fish. Both carry multiple fish crosswise in their bills — an adaptation that allows efficient chick provisioning.
Breeding in Alaska
Horned puffins breed in rock crevices and burrows on Alaska’s offshore islands, from the Aleutian Islands to Southeast Alaska. The Gulf of Alaska — including areas near Seward — hosts significant horned puffin breeding populations. Adults return to the same nesting sites year after year, often for life.
At the Alaska SeaLife Center
Like our tufted puffins, our horned puffin residents are participants in our Puffin Encounter experience — giving visitors a rare chance to observe these remarkable birds up close and learn about puffin biology, ecology, and conservation.
Our seabird research program monitors puffin population trends and studies the relationship between prey availability (particularly sand lance and capelin) and puffin breeding success — critical work as ocean warming shifts prey distributions.