I have no personal expertise, but according to the new Pyle Guide
(*Identification
Guide to North American Birds*; this is the bird banders' guide book &
bible), *Part II *(which just came out last autumn), Tufted Puffins (pp.
787ff) complete the molt to Basic (non-breeding) plumage in Aug - Jan in
breeding after second year birds. It notes that "During DPBs [definitive
prebasic molt -- back to the drab feathers] ornamental postocular plumes are
usually the first feathers lost, in Aug-Sep." Hope this helps.

Chris Kessler
Puget Sound Bird Observatory Board



On Wed, Sep 2, 2009 at 3:37 PM, B&PBell <bellasoc at isomedia.com> wrote:

> Hi all
>
> I just checked the Birds of North America account on Tufted Puffin and
> their entry for molt says that not much is known about molt or molt
> sequence. Both of the references they use are fairly old. They say that they
> have two molts per year, and their molt graph shows that the summer/fall one
> likely begins in late September. But this is based on framentary data from
> Alaska, and they note that it varies north or south with no indication of
> whether it is earlier or later.
>
> The entry on migration essentially indicates that they spend the winter
> offshore, but gives no particular information on timing.
>
> A quick check thru Google doesn't show much more detail.
>
> Brian H. Bell
> Woodinville WA
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Eugene and Nancy Hunn <enhunn323 at comcast.net>
> *To:* tweeters at u.washington.edu
> *Cc:* 'Nancy Hertzel' <Autumn207 at comcast.net>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, September 02, 2009 1:25 PM
> *Subject:* [Tweeters] FW: A writer with a question
>
> Tweets,
>
>
>
> We received this request for Tufted Puffin life history information. Is
> there anyone out there who could reply to her and/or refer her/us to an
> appropriate expert? Thanks.
>
>
>
> Gene Hunn, for the WOS Board
>
> Lake Forest Park, WA
>
> enhunn323 at comcast.net
>
>
>
> *From:* Nancy Hertzel [mailto:Autumn207 at comcast.net]
> *Sent:* Monday, August 31, 2009 5:21 PM
> *To:* WOS board
> *Subject:* Fwd: A writer with a question
>
>
>
> Could someone respond to this person, please? Thanks.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>
>
> *From: *Linda Borromeo <llborromeo at gmail.com>
>
> *Date: *August 31, 2009 5:17:55 PM PDT
>
> *To: *information at wos.org
>
> *Subject: **A writer with a question*
>
>
>
> Hello,
>
> I'm an author writing a book for children, and would appreciate your help
> with a question I have about Tufted Puffins. I want to be accurate in my
> description of when Tufted Puffins begin to lose their breeding plumage and
> head back out to sea. The scene I am writing takes place on the Washington
> State coast (Destruction Island area).
>
> The information I've found usually mentions August, but it would be very
> helpful to know about when in August the adult puffins revert to their
> non-breeding plumage (the early, middle or late part of the month?). Do
> they lose their breeding plumage about the same time they head out to sea,
> or are they still at the nesting site after their plumage changes? Also, is
> it about a week after the parents leave that the pufflings try to make their
> way to the ocean?
>
> Thank you very much for your help!
>
> Linda Borromeo
> Mount Vernon, WA
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
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