PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A pair of tufted puffins are likely nesting near Yaquina Head for the first time since the late ‘90s and birders are gathering in Lincoln County to witness the homecoming.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Visitor Services Manager Dawn Harris told KOIN 6 News that two tufted puffins have been spotted in the area all-month long, indicating that the birds are likely nesting in the surrounding headlands.

“It’s not unusual to see a puffin or two fly by Yaquina Head during the summertime nesting season,” Harris said. “That happens occasionally each summer. What’s unusual is that tufted puffins have been seen every day for almost a month.”

Tufted puffins are in the middle of hatching season on the Oregon Coast and the Yaquina Head pair were seen carrying fish in their beaks. This means the puffins likely have a nest of hatchlings nearby, Harris said. While the exact location of the nest is unknown, the sightings are frequently occurring near the Yaquina Head Lighthouse.

“Right at the viewpoint behind the lighthouse is an outstanding area to watch seabirds in general,” Harris said. “That’s where everyone’s been seeing the puffins from too.”

Although tufted puffins once nested in the area, the birds have virtually disappeared from Lincoln County in the last 25 years. In the 1980s as many as 5,000 tufted puffins nested on the Oregon Coast. Today there are thought to be no more than 600. Harris said that the cause of the decline is unknown, but that there are likely multiple environmental factors affecting the species.

“Overall the tufted puffin population is greatly reduced on the Oregon Coast compared to what it was,” she said. “We don’t know the exact reason. There are likely multiple reasons involving habitat on nesting islands, predators like rats, which are non-native, and native predators like mink and racoons that can get on the islands.”

The burrowing birds also face challenges hunting declining fish populations caused by climate change and building nests as invasive plants are replacing the native bunch grasses that hold the coastal rocks together.

While the puffins are nesting in a frequently visited section of the Oregon Coast, Harris said that Yaquina Head is a protected habitat. The Bureau of Land Management protects the headlands and the USFS protects the offshore rocks and islands.

Tufted Puffins are more commonly found on the Oregon Coast at Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach and at Coquille Point in Bandon. However, visitors are encouraged to visit Yaquina Head to see the lone pair of puffins reclaiming the habitat.

“Bird watcher or not, everyone wants to see a tufted puffin,” Harris said. “They’re what we call ‘charismatic megafauna.’ …It’s really special to see puffins nesting in Lincoln County. People are definitely excited.”