Eggs, eggs everywhere: The Rhinos

May 12, 2017

The Rhinoceros Auklet (Cerorhinca monocerata):
The second seabird study species to lay eggs were the Rhinoceros Auklets. On April 17th Viv found the first egg using the Rhino-Cam. This device is used to monitor natural breeding sites of this species (and to look a bit funky).

Four days later, the first eggs were seen inside the nest boxes. There are a total of 77 boxes distributed all over the island that we check every 5 days.
To each individual captured, we measure its bill depth and relaxed wing chord, weigh them and band all unbanded birds. We also measure the length and width of all eggs.
Cute as they seem, these birds can bite!