tufted puffin
Noun: A seabird of the auk family (Fratercula cirrhata) native to the northern Pacific Ocean, characterized by its distinctive large, yellow, plume-like feather tufts that extend from above each eye during the breeding season, a thick red bill, and a black body with a white facial patch.
The term "tufted puffin" is used to specifically identify this species of puffin. It functions as a countable noun. * We spotted a tufted puffin on the coastal cliffs of Alaska. * Tufted puffins are known for their colorful beaks and facial ornaments. * The researcher studied the nesting behavior of the tufted puffin.
- The term is used in scientific and ornithological contexts to distinguish from other puffin species, such as the Atlantic puffin () or the horned puffin ().
- Puffin (noun): The common name for birds of the genus . "Tufted puffin" is a specific type of puffin.
- Fratercula cirrhata (noun): The scientific (Latin) name for the tufted puffin.
- Crested puffin: A less common alternative name, referring to the same bird ().
The term "tufted puffin" has only one primary meaning, referring specifically to the bird species Fratercula cirrhata. It is not commonly used in metaphorical or idiomatic senses.
- northern Pacific puffin having a large yellow plume over each eye