Horned Puffin

horned_puffin02_sm.jpg: Horned puffin
Range: Northwestern United States and Canada, to Russia
Habitat: Open ocean, rocky shorelines
Conservation Status: Common
Scientific Name: Fratercula corniculata

This bird gets its name from the hornlike "knobs" above its eyes. These act as mating signals during breeding season. With puffins' comical faces and bright beaks and feet, it's no wonder people have called puffins "clowns of the sea."