Rhinoceros Auklet Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesRhinoceros Auklet
Breeding adult
Medium-sized stocky seabird. Breeding adults have a characteristic "horn" that protrudes from its orange bill and two white plumes on its face. Dark gray above and paler gray below.
© Eric Ellingson / Macaulay LibraryWashington, March 20, 2020Nonbreeding adult/immature
Nonbreeding birds appear dark overall. Some nonbreeding birds may have reduced white plumes on the face.
© Scott Olmstead / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, October 13, 2018Breeding adult
© Timothy Barksdale / Macaulay LibraryWashington, July 18, 1994Not all videos have sound
Breeding adult
Stocky seabird with a portly whitish belly. Flight often looks labored.
© Thomas Ford-Hutchinson / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, April 11, 2015Breeding adult
Breeding adults have a characteristic "horn" that protrudes from its orange bill. White facial plumes not always visible on breeding birds. Note yellow eye.
© Liron Gertsman / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, August 18, 2016Breeding adult
Rarely glides when flying, instead continuously flaps its wings, flying low over the water.
© Tom Johnson / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 11, 2017Similar SpeciesTufted Puffin
Nonbreeding
Nonbreeding Tufted Puffins have rounder heads and larger, thicker, more orange bills than Rhinoceros Auklets. They usually have pale markings on the head, echoing the yellow tufts of breeding plumage.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCalifornia, August 27, 2010Similar SpeciesTufted Puffin
Breeding
Breeding Tufted Puffins are black with white faces and extravagant yellow plumes sweeping behind the head, unlike the Rhinoceros Auklet's overall grayish color.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, May 30, 2013Similar SpeciesCassin's Auklet
Breeding
Cassin's Auklets are smaller than Rhinoceros Auklets, with a shorter neck and smaller, all-dark bill.
© Yousif Attia / Macaulay LibraryBritish Columbia, September 14, 2014Similar SpeciesCrested Auklet
Breeding
Crested Auklets are smaller than Rhinoceros Auklets and have only one white streak on the face. Crested's bill is shorter and brighter orange than Rhinoceros.
© Ken Oeser / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 22, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Auks, Murres, and Puffins(Order: Charadriiformes, Family: Alcidae)
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