Watercolor portrait of Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica)

Atlantic Puffin

Fratercula arctica
A breeding seabird of the North Atlantic… Breeds on grassy sea cliffs, rocky islan… Vulnerable Burrow growl

Learn to identify the Atlantic Puffin by ear. Master the "brrrrr-rrr-rrr" phrase and tell it apart from similar species.

“brrrrr-rrr-rrr”

What the Atlantic Puffin sounds like

The Atlantic Puffin looks like a tiny seabird clown, with a chunky rainbow bill, bright orange feet, and a crisp black-and-white suit. On land it stands upright and shuffles around busy cliff colonies; at sea it rides the swell, then rockets low over the water with fast, whirring wings.

“brrrrr-rrr-rrr”

How to tell it apart

Listen for:A low, rough, chainsaw-like growl heard at close range in the colony, most often from inside a burrow. It is one of the species' best-known sounds, but you usually hear it more than you see it. Often written as “brrrrr-rrr-rrr”.
Don't confuse with:The Horned Puffin — shows a pale face with a dark eye line and, in breeding season, a small fleshy 'horn' above the eye.

Where you'll hear it

Breeds on grassy sea cliffs, rocky islands, and offshore headlands across the North Atlantic. Outside the nesting season, it spends months far out at sea, often well beyond sight of land.

Puffins are easiest to see at colonies from spring into late summer, when adults court, nest in burrows, and ferry fish back to chicks. The rest of the year they live at sea and are much harder to find from shore.

Similar species

Horned Puffin

Shows a pale face with a dark eye line and, in breeding season, a small fleshy 'horn' above the eye.

Razorbill

Slimmer and more black-and-white overall, with a thicker, deep-based bill but no colorful puffin face.

Atlantic Puffin song FAQ

What does an Atlantic Puffin sound like?
A low, rough, chainsaw-like growl heard at close range in the colony, most often from inside a burrow. It is one of the species' best-known sounds, but you usually hear it more than you see it. Listen for the "brrrrr-rrr-rrr" phrase.
How do I tell an Atlantic Puffin from a Horned Puffin by sound?
Horned Puffin: Shows a pale face with a dark eye line and, in breeding season, a small fleshy 'horn' above the eye.; Has a yellow bill with a red-orange tip.; Usually breeds in the North Pacific, not the Atlantic..
When is the best time to hear an Atlantic Puffin?
Puffins are easiest to see at colonies from spring into late summer, when adults court, nest in burrows, and ferry fish back to chicks. The rest of the year they live at sea and are much harder to find from shore.