Page 385 - (DK) Ocean - The Definitive Visual Guide

BIRDS 383

ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES away any larger penguins that attempt ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES
to nest nearby. The female lays two
Emperor Penguin Chinstrap Penguin eggs, and her chicks fledge and set off Macaroni Penguin
for the sea by February or March,
Aptenodytes forsteri Pygoscelis antarctica when the southern fall begins. Eudyptes chrysolophus
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HEIGHT 43–45 in HEIGHT 28–30 in Chinstraps feed almost entirely on HEIGHT 27 / 2 in
(110–115 cm) (71–76 cm) krill, and their current population (70 cm)
WEIGHT 77–88 lb WEIGHT 6 / 2 –10 lb growth, like that of Antarctica’s WEIGHT 9 / 4 lb (4.2 kg)
1
1
(35–40 kg) (3–4.5 kg) krill-eating seals, may be linked to the HABITAT Rocky coasts,
HABITAT Sea ice, rocky HABITAT Rocky coasts, decline of krill-eating baleen whales. open ocean
coasts, open ocean open ocean
DISTRIBUTION Southern Ocean, Antarctica DISTRIBUTION Southern Ocean, Antarctic Peninsula, chinstrap DISTRIBUTION Southern Ocean, Antarctic Peninsula,
subantarctic islands subantarctic islands, southern South America
marking
The emperor is the world’s largest
penguin and the only species that Easily identified by the Macaroni penguins are often seen
breeds in Antarctica during the black line around its chin, together with a similar species of
southern winter. In shape and the chinstrap penguin is penguin, the rockhopper. However,
markings, it is very similar to the king one of the most abundant penguin macaronis are significantly larger and
penguin, but it can be over twice its species. Males and females look have distinctive flame-yellow crests
weight. Rarely found outside Antarctic identical, with blue-black bodies, that run above each eye and meet on
waters, it feeds among broken sea ice, white undersides, and straight black the forehead. They are also found
diving to depths of up to 1,750 ft bills. They live at sea for most of the farther south, breeding on
(530 m). It can remain underwater for year, feeding in open water north of ice-free coasts on the
as long as 20 minutes, and may travel the polar ice. When swimming at high Antarctic Peninsula.
up to 600 miles (1,000 km) in search speed, they often leap clear of the Their breeding
of food. The emperor penguin breeds water, or “porpoise,” which allows colonies are
in scattered colonies on the ice itself. them to breathe and coats their extremely noisy, some
Adult females lay a single egg in early bodies with a layer of air bubbles, containing over a
winter, and then transfer it to the reducing friction with the water. million pairs spaced
male. During the winter darkness, In November, chinstraps return to out just beyond
while the females feed at sea, the their breeding colonies on ice-free pecking distance of
males huddle together with their shores in Antarctica and on islands in each other. Macaroni
eggs balanced on their feet and the Southern Ocean. Here, they penguins lay two
protected within a fold of feathery make their nests by scraping eggs a year, and both
skin. The incubation period lasts about together small stones to form a parents help with
two months. By the end of it, the shallow cup. Chinstraps tend to incubation. Their
males have lost about half their body be more aggressive than other reproductive rate
weight. The females return when the penguins, particularly when is low, because
chicks hatch, releasing the males, who breeding. They steal stones only one nestling
head out to sea. from their neighbors and chase normally survives.

ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES ORDER SPHENISCIFORMES
SAFETY AFTER
Little Penguin DARK Magellanic Penguin Jackass Penguin

Eudyptula minor Spheniscus magellanicus Spheniscus demersus
In some parts of their range—
HEIGHT 16–18 in such as Phillip Island, near HEIGHT 28 in (71 cm) HEIGHT 24–28 in
(40–45 cm) WEIGHT 12 lb (60–70 cm)
Melbourne—thousands of little
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WEIGHT 2 / 4 lb (1 kg) (5.5 kg) WEIGHT 11 lb (5 kg)
penguins can be seen scrambling
HABITAT Rocky and ashore as the light fades. This HABITAT Rocky coasts, HABITAT Rocky coasts,
muddy coasts, open open ocean open ocean
ocean behavior protects them from
most predators, although not
DISTRIBUTION Southern Australia, New Zealand, DISTRIBUTION Southern South America, Falkland DISTRIBUTION Coastal waters of southern Africa,
Tasman Sea and Southern Ocean from introduced mammals such Islands, south Atlantic and south Pacific south Atlantic and southern Indian Ocean
as foxes and domestic dogs.
This is the smallest penguin, and it is One of two species of black-and- Also known as the Cape penguin,
also the only one that remains offshore white penguin from South America, the jackass is the only penguin that
during daylight, coming onto land the Magellanic penguin is identified breeds in Africa. Physically, it bears a
after dark. It has a white underside, by the two black bands across its breast strong resemblance to the Magellanic
a gray-blue back and head, and no (see below). It feeds in the cold waters penguin (see left) from South America,
distinctive markings. During daylight, that flow northward from the although it has a single black breast
little penguins are often seen in small Southern Ocean, eating small, band rather than two. It feeds on small
flotillas offshore, resting on the surface shoal-forming fish such as sardines. fish such as pilchards, sardines, and
and periodically diving to catch fish. Like its close relative, the Humboldt anchovies, and gets its name from
penguin, it nests in burrows, raising up its braying call, which may be heard
When feeding, they circle around to two chicks each year. onshore when it breeds. Jackass
small fish to concentrate them into a penguins nest in burrows, and in the
close-knit group, before swimming past, many of their nesting sites
through the shoal and snapping were destroyed by farmers
them up. Unlike other collecting their droppings, or
penguins, they do not leave guano, for use as fertilizer.
the water when they travel at Today, depletion of food
speed. Little penguins usually stocks due to overfishing
nest in burrows or among and oil spills are two major
fallen rocks, but may set up threats that they face,
home in breakwaters and under along with competition OCEAN LIFE
houses and sheds. Each female from fur seals for breeding
lays a clutch of two eggs and sites. Their numbers are
raises up to two broods a year. in sharp decline.