Guide to North American Birds

Nesting around the edges of the North Atlantic, this puffin is sought after by birdwatchers who visit Maine or eastern Canada in summer. At its colonies, the bird may fly back to its nest carrying a dozen small fish lined up in its bill, making us wonder how the puffin holds onto ten slippery fish while grabbing two more. Gregarious at its nesting sites, the Atlantic Puffin is often solitary in winter, far from land on the open ocean.

A strange, mysterious little seabird. Although it is fairly common off the northern Pacific Coast, its nesting behavior was essentially unknown until the 1970s. In the Pacific Northwest, now known to nest high in trees in old-growth forest several miles inland from coast. Even where numerous, it is usually seen on the water in pairs or aggregations of pairs, not in large flocks; pairs flush from the water in front of approaching boats, fly away low with very rapid wingbeats.

Widespread on Pacific Coast from Alaska to California, but more local in the east, being found mainly off eastern Canada. This large auk sits upright on sea cliffs, looking like a northern version of a penguin. It swims and dives expertly, but its flight appears labored. For its size, the Common Murre has the most densely packed nesting colonies of any bird species; nests may be so close together that incubating adults are actually touching other adults on both sides.

This dark-bodied puffin is common along the northern Pacific Coast, nesting on islands offshore, where it may be seen sitting on rocks in an upright posture. Although it flies strongly, it must work hard to take off from the water, thrashing along the surface before becoming airborne. The colorful tufts of feathers on the head are present mostly in summer.

The smallest member of the auk family in the North Atlantic. Feeds on abundant tiny crustaceans in icy waters, and nests by the millions far above Arctic Circle, such as northwest Greenland; its center of abundance is farther north than that of any other auk. Small numbers come as far south as New England waters in winter, rarely farther, but the vast majority remain farther north. On the water, Dovekies bob about buoyantly; flocks fly low over the waves. Winter storms sometimes drive them close to the coast or even inland.

In the northeast, this bird may be seen swimming and diving around rocky shorelines. A 'Black' Guillemot only in summer, it looks mostly frosty white in winter. Very similar to Pigeon Guillemot of Pacific Coast, and overlaps with it locally in Alaska.

This stocky, thick-billed auk is found only in the North Atlantic. It nests on northern islands and coasts, often in the same colonies as murres; similar to the murres, it has a longer tail, often cocked up above the water when swimming. In winter it lives in flocks well offshore. Hardy observers who go out to the coast during winter storms may see flocks of Razorbills sweeping past, low over the water. This species is probably the closest living relative of the extinct Great Auk.

Very similar to the famous Atlantic Puffin, but with different bill colors and a longer fleshy 'horn' above each eye. Found mainly on islands around the coastline of Alaska, where pairs perch upright on rocks and stare quizzically at human visitors. In winter, likely to be on ocean waters far out of sight of land. Often found with the Tufted Puffin, but has a more northerly distribution in general, rarely wandering as far south as California.