Name: Magellanic penguin
Scientific Name: Spheniscus magellanicus (Forster, 1781)
Family: Spheniscidae
Group: Birds
Class: Birds
Size: 51-100 cm.
These penguins only come on to land between September and April, for nesting and moulting. For the rest of the year, they remain at sea and follow the migrations of the anchovy- their principal food source. They lay 2 eggs, under bushes or in holes, which they line with feathers, sticks, leaves and algae. These nests keep the chicks warm and protected from the wind and icy rain, until they finish moulting and can go to sea. Unlike other penguins, providing there is food, the male and female care for both chicks. They differ from the Humboldt penguins in having two black bands on their chest and a finer beak.
Photo by:
Abílio Leitão
Antarctic
