Measurements
Both Sexes
- Length
- 11–11.4 in
28–29 cm - Wingspan
- 23.2–24.4 in
59–62 cm - Weight
- 12.3–21.9 oz
350–620 g
Other Names
- Alque rinoceros (French)
- Alcuela rinoceronte (Spanish)
Cool Facts
- Both male and female Rhinoceros Auklets bear a "horn" on the base of the bill. The function of this feature is not known.
- The Rhinoceros Auklet delivers food to its nest site largely by night. This behavior may be an adaptation to keep gulls and other species from stealing its food.
Habitat
Ocean
Mostly pelagic; nests on islands in ground burrows.
Food
Fish
Nesting
Nesting Facts
- Condition at Hatching
- Covered in down, can walk, but stay in nest.
Nest Placement
Burrow
Behavior
Surface Dive
Dives underwater to capture prey, using its wings to swim.
Conservation
Least Concern
Vulnerable to the effects of oil spills. Raccoons and other introduced mammals have caused catastrophic population losses and possibly total elimination of some colonies.
Credits
- Gaston, A. J., and S. B. C. Dechesne. 1996. Rhinoceros Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata). In The Birds of North America, No. 212 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.). The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, sand The American Ornithologists Union, Washington, D.C.