A Seriously Full Mouth

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RHAU with  2022-08-06 Orcas Pelagic.JPG

This Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata seen late in the afternoon, is gathering a large meal of small fish to take back to it's burrow to feed a baby bird in the nest. These birds nest in burrows dug usually on grassy slopes on islands. They come back to the nest just after dusk, and feed the baby the mouthfull of fish. Both parents provide care for the egg and the chick. During incubation they take turns sitting on the single egg, with 1-4 days between switching from sitting to off to sea to feed. The chick is born downy and able to walk, and both parents leave by day 2 on daily feeding forays, bringing back a day's supply of fish each night.
It is felt that this technique minimizes the chance of the burrow being discovered by predators.
The Rhinoceros Auklet is closely related to the Puffins. Here is a Tufted Puffin Fratercula cirrhata
TUPU_0326 2021-08-08 Smith Island.JPG
You can see the huge bill on the puffin also allows the bird to hold a lot of fish to bring to the nest.

RHAU_8807 2022-08-06 Orcas Pelagic.JPG
This Rhinoceros Auklet is coming in for a landing. Note the "horn" on the bill that is why the species is named Rhinoceros.

RHAU with fish_8738 2022-08-06 Orcas Pelagic.JPG
One more shot of the load of fish.
Good birding!

A Seriously Full Mouth | Ecency