Sealife guideThe chinstrap penguinPygoscelis antarcticus
The chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus)
Taxonomy
- Common name: Chinstrap penguin
- French name: Manchot à jugulaire, manchot barbu
- Scientific name: Pygoscelis antarcticus (Forster, 1781)
- Family name: Spheniscidae
- Order name: Sphenisciformes
- Class name: The sea birds
Description
The chinstrap penguin is easily recognized by a black line that runs across its cheeks. Both male and female chinstrap penguins have the same appearance: black on top of the head and back with a white belly.
The chinstrap penguin is characterized by a black line that runs across its cheeks !
The chinstrap penguin stands about 30 inches tall and weighs around 6.5 to 9 pounds.
Chinstrap penguins spend almost the entire year in the water, except in November when they return to the nesting site to lay eggs.
Range
During the breeding season, chinstrap penguins migrate to the rocky coasts near Australia.
Habitat
Chinstrap penguins nest on rocky shores.
Diet
They feed on squid, crustaceans, small fish, and
krill.
Reproduction
Chinstrap penguins build their nests out of stones, where they lay their eggs. Around mid-February, young penguins leave their parents and head out to sea.
Did you know ?
If other penguins venture too close to their nest, the chinstrap penguin throws stones, often taken from neighboring nests, to drive them away.
The chinstrap penguin is listed as many other marine species within The
IUCN Red List of threatened species. The chinstrap penguin appears in the
IUCN Red List since 2020 within the category Least Concern !
Within the same genus
Adelie penguin
(Pygoscelis adeliae)
Gentoo penguin
(Pygoscelis papua)
Within the same family
Royal Penguin
(Eudyptes schlegeli)
Southern rockhopper penguin
(Eudyptes chrysocome)
Yellow-eyed penguin
(Megadyptes antipodes)
Galapagos penguin
(Spheniscus mendiculus)
African penguin
(Spheniscus demersus)
Emperor penguin
(Aptenodytes forsteri)
King penguin
(Aptenodytes patagonicus)
Explore also
Buller's albatross
(Thalassarche bulleri)
Northern Royal Albatross
(Diomedea sanfordi)
Black-crowned night heron
(Nycticorax nycticorax)
Double-crested cormorant
(Phalacrocorax auritus)
Black-faced Cormorant
(Phalacrocorax fuscescens)
Common murre
(Uria aalge)
Atlantic puffin
(Fratercula arctica)
Kelp goose
(Chloephaga hybrida)
The marine species from Antarctic ocean
Adelie penguin
(Pygoscelis adeliae)
Antarctic fur seal
(Arctocephalus gazella)
Chinstrap penguin
(Pygoscelis antarcticus)
Emperor penguin
(Aptenodytes forsteri)
Gentoo penguin
(Pygoscelis papua)
Southern right whale
(Eubalaena australis)
