Where to See Puffins in Maine
Puffins seem almost too exotic to live in New England, and thus we were pleasantly surprised to learn that they can easily be observed off of the Maine coast. The islands along the state’s rugged coastline are the only place in the United States that Atlantic puffins call home, with more than 4,000 puffins spending the summer on a few specific islands before flying back out to sea. The following is a comprehensive guide to when, where, and how to see these beautiful creatures in the state of Maine.
History of Puffins in Maine
Puffins have lived on the islands of Maine for centuries but were nearly wiped out in the early 1900’s. The National Audubon Society started Project Puffin in 1973 in an attempt to restore the dwindling population. At this point in time there were only two surviving colonies on Matinicus Rock and Machias Seal Island, and Project Puffin began by reintroducing puffins to Eastern Egg Rock off the coast of Pemaquid Point. Over the next 13 years, 954 puffins were transplanted from Newfoundland to Eastern Egg Rock. A similar reintroduction took place in 1984 at Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge where 950 puffins were relocated from Newfoundland. Today, as a result of Project Puffin, there are over 1,000 nesting pairs of puffins on Maine islands, and an additional 5,000 nesting pairs on Machias Seal Island (territory divided between US and Canada).
When can you See Puffins in Maine?
The best months to go on a puffin cruise are June and July. The birds come ashore to breed towards the end of April and return to sea in late August. Tours generally begin operating in late May and the season comes to an end in the middle of August. The beginning and end of the tour season can be hit or miss, so you will likely see the most puffins if you go in the middle of the summer when the vast majority of puffins are on land. For reference, we did a tour in August, and we saw 11 puffins. From what we have heard, this was actually fairly successful for this late in the season and many late-summer tours come up completely empty handed. The mid-summer tours often see dozens of puffins congregating on the islands.
Read More:Â Maine Road Trip ItineraryÂ
Where to See Puffins in Maine
There are only a handful of companies that offer puffin watches, and since all of the puffins in Maine live on islands, all of the tours involve a boat ride. Only one tour allows passengers to disembark and view the puffins from land.
1. Eastern Egg Rock
Eastern Egg Rock is the site of the first puffins reintroduced to Maine as part of Project Puffin. Because it is fairly far south and only 6 miles from shore, Eastern Egg Rock is one of the most popular destinations for puffin cruises. The island (really more of a rock) is only 7 acres in size so the small birds really have nowhere to hide from viewers on the tour boats. We did a tour with Hardy Boat Cruises and had a great experience. Although we visited late in the season, we had a satisfactory number of puffin sightings, spotted bald eagles and seals, and the entire are was incredibly scenic.
Tours:Hardy Boat Cruises (New Harbor), Cap’n Fish (Boothbay Harbor), Monhegan Boat Line (Port Clyde)
2. Matinicus Rock
Matinicus Rock is located about 23 miles off the coast of Rockland. Because it is relatively remote, there are no regularly scheduled trips; however, you can charter a boat for a private tour through Matinicus Excursions.
3. Machias Seal Island
Machias Seal Island has by far the largest puffin population of any of the Maine islands. This is also the only island that allows visitors to view puffins from shore, making this the best option for viewing the birds up close. The only catch is that the island is split between the US and Canada and it is a long drive to the Canadian border for most visitors coming from southern Maine, Massachusetts, etc. It is well worth the drive, because in addition to being a prime puffin-viewing destination, the Bold Coast  is one of the most beautiful areas in the entire state.
Tours: Bold Coast Charter Company (Cutler)
4. Petit Manan Island
Petit Manan Island, known for its iconic lighthouse, is located just to the northeast of Acadia National Park, making it a popular destination from Bar Harbor.
Tours: Bar Harbor Whale Watch (Bar Harbor), Robertson Sea Tours (Milbridge)
5. Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge
At 65 acres, Seal Island is the largest island inhabited by puffins in the state. The island is located about 22 miles from shore.
Tours: Isle au Haut (Stonington), Old Quarry (Stonington)
A puffin cruise is one of the best wildlife viewing opportunities in New England even if you aren’t an avid bird watcher. They are beautiful creatures, and the fact that the Maine coastline is so stunning makes for a perfect setting for a summer cruise. One thing that surprised us on our trip was just how small the puffins were. Maybe we are alone, but we had always thought of puffins as “mini penguins“. While this isn’t a completely asinine description, they are a fraction of the size of a penguin and on average only weigh about one pound. This makes them difficult to fully appreciate from a distance so be sure to pack binoculars or consider a trip to Machias Seal Island where you’ll have the best odds of seeing one up close.
New Harbor
This is definitely on a short list for me for 2019. Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂
I had no idea you could see puffins in Maine, I would have loved to have done this, but I was there in August so guess would have been too late. Next time!!
I feel like puffins are the cutest little birds! I’ve wanted to see them for such a long time, but I can’t afford to go to the Faroe Islands (which is where everyone always recommends), so Maine it is!!
I had no idea puffins were in Maine!! Now I know where to go this september and hope that they will still be there. If not at least I can eat lobster. What a great project to bring back their numbers.
Good to know. We have seen them in Alaska and Iceland and intend a New England trip next summer. Thanks for the good info.
If you’re doing a New England trip then the coast of Maine in general should definitely be on your list. Seeing puffins would be an added bonus.
In love with these cute lovely little birdies after reading your blog. I thought they just existed in the animated movies. I would love to go bird watching here for these cute creatures. Thanks for sharing this.
I would love to see Puffins! I never knew they could be found in the US! It’s good to know that there is an organisation working towards building up their population. Puffins are such beautiful birds! I didn’t realise they were that small either!
Before your post I never knew much about Puffins. These birds are so cute. I really wish to see these little birdies soon for sure. I am glad that we can watch them in Maine. Thanks a lot for sharing this.
the only thing we knew about Maine was its lobsters! great to know that we can see puffins there too!
This is so cute. I would actually travel all the way to the US just to see the Puffins. It’s good to know Miane has them! Thanks for sharing
I have never seen a puffin up close and they look so cute in these pictures. Would love to travel to Maine to see them in action.
I loooooove puffins!!! Their little faces, their little way to walk, they are the cutest! I need to go to Maine now!
I love me some puffins! I’ve been on a birding boat tour up in Newfoundland and saw puffins, but couldn’t get a great shot. Now I know where to go without going out of the country!
They’re very small so it can be tough to get a good shot from a distance. Maine is definitely a good place to go to see them.
Wow this looks like an amazing place! Your article just made me add another place to my bucketlist! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Lucky u.. last summer i had a similar trip planned to Wales, UK to see the Puffins but the rough sea cancelled all our plans… Hope to see them soon
That’s a bummer. Hopefully you can make it to Maine at some point.
Thanks for all of this info about locations to view puffins. Though I am going to Grand Manan Island late next summer, it will be too late in season for puffins. This article gives me great alternatives.
Glad you found it helpful! Enjoy Grand Manan!