Tufted Puffin with a meal flying over the Aleutian Islands
Tracking Data for Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata)
Active
By Alaska Science Center
January 12, 2026
Available here are tracking data for the tufted puffin, a seabird species that is found only in coastal and offshore areas of the North Pacific Ocean. These data were collected to better understand the migratory patterns of tufted puffins that breed in the Aleutian Islands.
Return to Ecosystems >> Wildlife Tracking Data Collection
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists collect data from wildlife tracking devices to: determine locations of animals throughout their annual cycles, understand patterns of habitat use, quantify time spent on various behaviors, and identify geographic areas repeatedly used by wildlife that may indicate sites of importance to species and populations. Tracking data from other wildlife species can be found at: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9VYSWEH
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
(Credit: David Douglas, USGS)
Tracking Maps
Tufted Puffin Tracking Maps
These webpages contain five different types of browse maps and other visualizations of the tracking data.
- Maps (Animated, Static, Interactive, and Google Earth)
- Summary graphs of the data: where, when, duration
- Seabirds Tagged Animal Movement Explorer interactive visualization tool
- Note: These maps serve only as a depiction of the geographic content of the specific data provided and may be inappropriate for inferences and interpretation outside the intent of the original study. For example, maps may portray only certain ages, sexes, limited numbers of animals or variable tracking duration and start times that may limit inference for other questions. Users are advised to read the publication(s) and data set metadata associated with these maps to understand appropriate use and data limitations.
Data Packages
Argos Satellite Telemetry Data
These data packages contain the data collected from satellite transmitters attached to free-ranging animals. The packages include both raw and processed location and sensor data. The raw data includes data as originally retrieved from the Argos System. The processed data have been filtered for location plausibility, and sensor data have been decoded into standard measurement units. For most users, the processed data will be preferred.
NOTE: Processed data contains both plausible (DAF_Filter=0) and implausible (DAF_Filter=1) locations as indicated by the column “Location_DAF_filter”. Before using these data, we recommend excluding locations flagged as implausible or apply an alternative filtering method of your choice.
- Processed Data [Metadata] [Data Download, 5MB zip]
- Raw Data [Metadata] [Data Download, 5MB zip]
- README
- View ScienceBase Data Release
Suggested Citation
Hatch, S.A., Meyers, P.M., Mulcahy, D.M., Douglas, D.C., 2020, Tracking data for Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) (ver 1.0, October 2020): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9L9EIUI
Below are other science projects associated with Tufted Puffin.
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species; from loons and seaducks that nest inland, to petrels and puffins that breed on islands off shore. All these birds depend on the sea to provide a wide variety of food types— from clams, crabs and urchins nearshore— to krill, forage fish, and squid offshore. The...
Below are multimedia items associated with Tufted Puffin.
Tufted Puffin with a meal
Tufted Puffin with a meal flying over the Aleutian Islands
Tufted Puffin carrying fish
Tufted Puffin carrying fish to bring back to it's young in it's burrow.
Tufted Puffin carrying fish to bring back to it's young in it's burrow.
Tufted Puffins perching near their colony burrows on Bogoslof Island
Tufted Puffins perching near their colony burrows on Bogoslof IslandTufted Puffins perching near their burrows in a colony on Bogoslof Island (volcano) in the Aleutian Islands.
Tufted Puffins perching near their colony burrows on Bogoslof Island
Tufted Puffins perching near their colony burrows on Bogoslof IslandTufted Puffins perching near their burrows in a colony on Bogoslof Island (volcano) in the Aleutian Islands.
A Tufted Puffin on the water
A Tufted Puffin on the water
A Tufted Puffin on the water
Available here are tracking data for the tufted puffin, a seabird species that is found only in coastal and offshore areas of the North Pacific Ocean. These data were collected to better understand the migratory patterns of tufted puffins that breed in the Aleutian Islands.
Return to Ecosystems >> Wildlife Tracking Data Collection
USGS Alaska Science Center scientists collect data from wildlife tracking devices to: determine locations of animals throughout their annual cycles, understand patterns of habitat use, quantify time spent on various behaviors, and identify geographic areas repeatedly used by wildlife that may indicate sites of importance to species and populations. Tracking data from other wildlife species can be found at: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9VYSWEH
Media
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media Details
(Credit: David Douglas, USGS)
Tracking Maps
Tufted Puffin Tracking Maps
These webpages contain five different types of browse maps and other visualizations of the tracking data.
- Maps (Animated, Static, Interactive, and Google Earth)
- Summary graphs of the data: where, when, duration
- Seabirds Tagged Animal Movement Explorer interactive visualization tool
- Note: These maps serve only as a depiction of the geographic content of the specific data provided and may be inappropriate for inferences and interpretation outside the intent of the original study. For example, maps may portray only certain ages, sexes, limited numbers of animals or variable tracking duration and start times that may limit inference for other questions. Users are advised to read the publication(s) and data set metadata associated with these maps to understand appropriate use and data limitations.
Data Packages
Argos Satellite Telemetry Data
These data packages contain the data collected from satellite transmitters attached to free-ranging animals. The packages include both raw and processed location and sensor data. The raw data includes data as originally retrieved from the Argos System. The processed data have been filtered for location plausibility, and sensor data have been decoded into standard measurement units. For most users, the processed data will be preferred.
NOTE: Processed data contains both plausible (DAF_Filter=0) and implausible (DAF_Filter=1) locations as indicated by the column “Location_DAF_filter”. Before using these data, we recommend excluding locations flagged as implausible or apply an alternative filtering method of your choice.
- Processed Data [Metadata] [Data Download, 5MB zip]
- Raw Data [Metadata] [Data Download, 5MB zip]
- README
- View ScienceBase Data Release
Suggested Citation
Hatch, S.A., Meyers, P.M., Mulcahy, D.M., Douglas, D.C., 2020, Tracking data for Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata) (ver 1.0, October 2020): U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P9L9EIUI
Below are other science projects associated with Tufted Puffin.
Seabirds and Forage Fish Ecology
Alaska's coastal and offshore waters provide foraging habitat for an estimated 100 million birds comprising more than 90 different species; from loons and seaducks that nest inland, to petrels and puffins that breed on islands off shore. All these birds depend on the sea to provide a wide variety of food types— from clams, crabs and urchins nearshore— to krill, forage fish, and squid offshore. The...
Below are multimedia items associated with Tufted Puffin.
Tufted Puffin with a meal
Tufted Puffin with a meal flying over the Aleutian Islands
Tufted Puffin with a meal flying over the Aleutian Islands
Tufted Puffin carrying fish
Tufted Puffin carrying fish to bring back to it's young in it's burrow.
Tufted Puffin carrying fish to bring back to it's young in it's burrow.
Tufted Puffins perching near their colony burrows on Bogoslof Island
Tufted Puffins perching near their colony burrows on Bogoslof IslandTufted Puffins perching near their burrows in a colony on Bogoslof Island (volcano) in the Aleutian Islands.
Tufted Puffins perching near their colony burrows on Bogoslof Island
Tufted Puffins perching near their colony burrows on Bogoslof IslandTufted Puffins perching near their burrows in a colony on Bogoslof Island (volcano) in the Aleutian Islands.
A Tufted Puffin on the water
A Tufted Puffin on the water
A Tufted Puffin on the water