---
title: "Rhinoceros Auklet"
description: "Cerorhinca monocerata — Birds. The rhinoceros auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata) is a seabird and a close relative of the puffins."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/rhinoceros-auklet
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Rhinoceros Auklet

> Cerorhinca monocerata — Birds. The rhinoceros auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata) is a seabird and a close relative of the puffins.

- Scientific name: *Cerorhinca monocerata*
- Category: `birds` (Birds)
- Habitats: `sea` (Sea & coast)
- iNaturalist observations: 5939
- Wikidata: [Q903229](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q903229)
- iNaturalist taxon: [4553](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/4553)

## Names

- en: Rhinoceros Auklet
- de: Nashornalk
- es: Alca rinoceronte
- fr: Macareux rhinocéros
- nl: Neushoornalk
- pt: Mérgulo-unicórnio
- pl: Nurek

## Countries with the most observations

US (3092), CA (1349), RU (148), KR (69), JP (59), MX (11), KP (8)

## Summary

The rhinoceros auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata) is a seabird and a close relative of the puffins. It is the only extant species of the genus Cerorhinca. Given its close relationship with the puffins, the common name rhinoceros puffin has been proposed for the species.
It ranges widely across the North Pacific, feeding on small fish and nesting in colonies. Its name is derived from a horn-like extension of the beak (the anatomic term for this extension is the rhamphotheca). This horn is only present in breeding adults, and like the elaborate sheath on the bill of puffins is shed every year. This horn also possesses fluorescent…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_auklet

## Photo

![Rhinoceros Auklet](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/rhinoceros-auklet/medium.jpg)

Photo: Kyle Bowman · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/187311366

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/rhinoceros-auklet?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).