# Rhinoceros Auklet (*Cerorhinca monocerata*) The Rhinoceros Auklet is a special bird that looks like it has a little horn on its beak! It loves to swim in the ocean and can dive deep to catch fish. These birds are fun to watch as they flap their wings and dive underwater. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas ![Rhinoceros Auklet](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Wiki-utou2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Tokumi, Copyrighted free use · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wiki-utou2.jpg) ## Appearance The Rhinoceros Auklet is a medium-sized seabird with a dark gray back, a lighter belly, and a vibrant orange bill. During breeding season, it grows a distinct pale horn-like projection on its bill and white "whiskers" near its eyes, setting it apart. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Charadriiformes - **Family:** Alcidae - **Genus:** Cerorhinca ## Interesting facts - Rhinoceros Auklets spend almost their entire lives out at sea, rarely touching land. - Some Rhinoceros Auklets are known to live to be over 25 years old! - Their unique "horn" on the bill actually falls off after breeding season! - They use their strong webbed feet to help steer while diving deep for food. ## Special abilities - **Nocturnal Nester:** Rhinoceros Auklets visit their nesting burrows only at night, a clever trick that helps them avoid hungry daytime predators. - **Fish Carrier Extraordinaire:** Rhinoceros Auklets have a special bill that helps them carry many small fish crosswise at once, perfect for feeding their chicks. - **Burrow Builder:** Rhinoceros Auklets can dig their own deep nesting burrows on islands, providing a safe, cozy home for their single egg. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 35-41 cm - **Wingspan:** 60-70 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-0.8 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-25 years - **Speed:** 60 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 1 - **Incubation:** 30-38 days - **Migration Distance:** 3000 km ## Diet & Feeding These seabirds are expert divers, hunting small fish, squid, and krill deep in the ocean. - **Primary Foods:** Pacific Sandlance, Pacific Herring, Squid, Krill - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Pacific Sandlance (*Ammodytes hexapterus*) — A primary food source. - **Eats:** [Pacific Herring](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pacific-herring) (*Clupea pallasii*) — An important part of their diet. - **Eaten by:** [Bald Eagle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bald-eagle) (*Haliaeetus leucocephalus*) — Eagles can prey on adults and chicks. - **Eaten by:** Northern River Otter (*Lontra canadensis*) — Otters can raid their nesting burrows. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and do not try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Rhinoceros Auklet? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Rhinoceros Auklet? 35-41 cm ### What is Rhinoceros Auklet's wingspan? 60-70 cm ### How much does Rhinoceros Auklet weigh? 0.5-0.8 kg ### How long does Rhinoceros Auklet live? 20-25 years ### How fast can Rhinoceros Auklet move? 60 km/h ### What does Rhinoceros Auklet eat? These seabirds are expert divers, hunting small fish, squid, and krill deep in the ocean. ### Where is Rhinoceros Auklet usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Seattle Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/seattle-aquarium-washington) — Washington, US · Zoo - [Shokanbetsu-Teuri-Yagishiri Quasi-National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shokanbetsu-teuri-yagishiri-quasi-national-park) — Hokkaido, JP · Park ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Rhinoceros Auklet: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rhinoceros-auklet)