horned puffin
Definition
Noun: 1. A seabird of the northern Pacific Ocean: The horned puffin (Fratercula corniculata) is a species of puffin characterized by a large, brightly colored bill and distinctive fleshy black "horn" markings above its eyes during the breeding season. It is a pelagic bird that spends most of its life at sea, coming to coastal cliffs and islands only to breed.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The horned puffin is easily identified by the dark, fleshy projection above its eye.
- We took a boat tour to see the colony of horned puffins nesting on the rocky island.
- Unlike the Atlantic puffin, the horned puffin has a mostly yellow bill with a red tip.
Advanced Usage
- In ornithological/biological context: The term is used precisely to refer to this specific species within the auk family (Alcidae).
- The study compared the diving depths of the horned puffin with those of the tufted puffin.
Variants and Related Words
- Puffin (n): The common name for birds in the genus . The horned puffin is one of three main species.
- Tufted puffin (n): () A related Pacific puffin species distinguished by long, yellow head plumes.
- Atlantic puffin (n): () A related puffin species found in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Synonyms
- Seabird (n): A general term for birds that live primarily on or near the ocean.
- Auk (n): A member of the family Alcidae, which includes puffins, murres, and guillemots.
Related Phrases
- Breeding plumage: The specific, often more colorful, feathers and markings a bird has during the mating season. The horned puffin's namesake "horns" are part of its breeding plumage.
- In its breeding plumage, the horned puffin is a strikingly marked bird.
Noun
-
northern Pacific puffin
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