Adult puffins are about the size of a small loaf of bread: roughly 25–38 cm (10–15 inches) long, with wingspans around 47–65 cm (19–25 inches), depending on the species.

Quick Scoop

Puffin size at a glance

  • Body length: about 25–38 cm (10–15 in) from bill tip to tail.
  • Standing height: an Atlantic puffin stands around 20–30 cm (8–12 in) tall on land.
  • Wingspan: roughly 47–65 cm (19–25 in), so the wings are much longer than the body.
  • Weight: usually 310–840 g (about 11–30 oz), so under 1 kg—chunky but still quite light.

Think of an Atlantic puffin as somewhere between a robin and a crow in overall bulk, but with a thicker body and that big, triangular bill that makes them look larger than they really are.

Different puffin species

There are three main puffin species, and the bigger, northern ones tend to be slightly larger:

  • Atlantic puffin: length about 26–33 cm (10–13 in), wingspan 47–63 cm (19–25 in), weight 310–550 g.
  • Horned puffin: length about 32–38 cm (13–15 in), wingspan around 58–60 cm (23–24 in), weight roughly 580–650 g on average.
  • Tufted puffin: length about 35–38 cm (14–15 in), wingspan about 63–65 cm (25 in), weight roughly 700–840 g.

In cooler northern areas, some Atlantic puffins grow heavier and broader- winged, reaching around 650 g, while those further south can be closer to 400 g.

Handy size comparison table (HTML)

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Puffin species Typical length Typical wingspan Typical weight
Atlantic puffin 26–33 cm (10–13 in)47–63 cm (19–25 in)310–550 g (11–19 oz)
Horned puffin 32–38 cm (13–15 in)58–60 cm (23–24 in)580–650 g (~1.3 lb)
Tufted puffin 35–38 cm (14–15 in)63–65 cm (25–25.5 in)700–840 g (1.5–1.8 lb)

Story-style snapshot

Picture yourself on a cliff in summer, looking down at the sea: a stocky black-and-white bird waddles past your boots, only about as tall as your hand to your elbow, but with a bill so bright it steals the scene.

When it opens its wings, they suddenly look surprisingly long compared with its body, built to flap fast over the waves and then double as underwater “flippers” when it dives for fish.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.