2017 Bonanza Bird #9: Horned Puffin
Today a seabird with bold colors joins Birdorable: the Horned Puffin!
The Horned Puffin is a seabird in the auk family. They are pelagic, breeding on rocky islands but spending the rest of the year at sea. They are found in ocean waters around Alaska, British Columbia, and Siberia.
Horned Puffins are named for a small pointed fleshy "horn" that adults have over each eye. Their striking beaks actually increase in size and color intensity during courtship and breeding, developing vertical grooves.
Like many seabirds, Horned Puffins have a mostly black and white plumage. They are black above and white below. This is a camouflage strategy, helping to protect them from predators both from the air above them and the sea below.
Tomorrow an endangered bird found only in Peru will be revealed as part of our 2017 Birdorable Bonanza. It was once thought to be extinct but was rediscovered in the late 1970s. Do you know this bird?
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