Adelie Penguin
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The Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) is, together with the Emperor Penguin, one of the only two types of penguin living on the Antarctic mainland. This species is common along the entire Antarctic coast and nearby islands. In 1830, French explorer Dumont d'Urville named them for his wife, Adelie. Ross Island supports a colony of approximately half a million Adelie penguins.
Each penguin is 60 to 70 cm long and around 4 kg in weight. Distinctive marks are the white ring surrounding the eye and the feathers at the base of the bill. These long feathers hide most of the red bill. The tail is a little bit longer than other penguins' tails.
Adelie penguins arrive at their breeding grounds in October. Their nests consist of stones piled together. The males summon the females with a low guttural noise followed by a loud cry. A female typically lays two eggs which are brown or green in color. In December, the warmest month in Antarctica (about -2°C), the parents alternate periods of incubating the egg; one goes to feed and the other stays to warm the egg. The parent who is incubating does not eat. In March, the adults and their young return to the sea.
This penguin feeds mainly on crustaceans, such as krill, and fish.
References
- BirdLife International (2004). [Pygoscelis adeliae]. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern
External links
- [70south: info on Adelie penguins]
- [Adelie Penguin images]
- [Photographs of Adelie penguins]
- [Penguin World: Adelie penguin]
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