AUKS, MURRES, AND PUFFINS: Family Alcidae [319] 



Alaska northward. Winters south along coast to Queen Charlotte Islands. In 

 Oregon: Found as an irregular winter resident, common only from December 1^2. to 

 February 1933. 



THE HORNED PUFFIN, a northern cousin of the common Tufted Puffin, is 

 found in Oregon only as a winter straggler. The first specimen was one 

 found dead on the beach at Netarts Bay, March 7, 1916, and recorded by 

 Jewett (icji^b). It was so badly decomposed that it was possible to save 

 only the head, which is now in Jewett's collection. There are also two 

 skins in the Overton Dowell, Jr., collection, a male and a female, found 

 dead on the beach, 3 miles northwest of Mercer, Lane County, on March 

 15, 1919. 



On December 2.7, 1932., Gabrielson found dozens of dead and dying 

 birds on the beach north of Netarts. Many, badly oil-soaked and thus 

 rendered helpless, drifted in on each high tide. In two days 35 specimens 

 were saved. Many dozens more were so badly torn and injured by the 

 gulls that no attempt was made to save them. Among this lot were 

 many Horned Puffins, Ancient Murrelets, and other species that do not 

 normally winter in numbers on our coast. Two days later Jewett was on 

 the beaches a few miles north and had the same experience. From that 

 time until mid-February every bird observer who visited the beaches 

 reported the same condition. 



Curiously enough, Tufted Puffins remained through the winter in far 

 greater numbers than usual. We can find nothing in weather conditions 

 on the Oregon coast or in Alaskan waters to account for the visitation 

 of puffins, murrelets, auklets, and kittiwakes in numbers far exceeding 

 anything we had previously known. The only logical explanation that 

 comes readily to mind is a change in food conditions. A marked decrease 

 in the normal supplies in northern waters and a comparative abundance 

 on the Oregon coast would logically explain both the southward move- 

 ment of northern birds and the unusual abundance of Tufted Puffins and 

 other resident birds. We have no evidence, however, to substantiate 

 this surmise. 



Tufted Puffin: 



Lunda cirrhata (Pallas) 



DESCRIPTION. "Bill compressed, nearly as high as long. Adults: upper parts sooty 

 black; under parts dark grayish. Breeding flumage: sides of face white, a long crest 

 of fine silky yellow feathers over each eye; terminal half of bill, and feet, bright red. 

 Winter plumage: sides of head dusky, and without crests; horny covering of base of 

 bill replaced by soft dusky brown skin; feet flesh color. Young in first winter: similar 

 to winter adult, but with rudiments of light brown crests, and sides of upper 

 mandible without grooves." (Bailey) Downy young: "Completely covered with 

 long, soft, silky down, sooty black above and sooty grayish below." (Bent) (See 



