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This was my only real chance to photograph the delightful little Galapagos Penguins, right at sundown, near Sombrero Chino, Island of Santiago.
African Penguins are also known as the Black-footed Penguins or Jackass Penguins. They live only on the south-western coast of Africa, and are the only species of penguin in Africa.
Penguin Point is an exhibit inhabited by African penguins (,em>Spheniscus demersus). Though most people are familiar with the penguin species native to Antarctica, these are native to South Africa and Namibia.
The Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) (also know as the Peruvian Penguin, or Patranca) is a South American penguin, breeding in coastal Peru and Chile. The penguin is named after the cold water current it swims in, which is itself named after Alexander von Humboldt, an explorer.
Humboldt Penguins are medium-sized penguins, growing to 65-70 cm (26-28 in) long and a weight of 3.6-5.9 kg (8-13 lbs). They have a black head with a white border running from behind the eye, around the black ear-coverts and chin, to join on the throat. They have blackish-grey upperparts and whitish undersides, with a black breast-band extending down the flanks to the thigh. They have a fleshy-pink base to the bill. Juveniles have dark heads and no breast-band. They have spines on their tongue which they use to hold their prey.
Humboldt Penguins nest on islands and rocky coasts, burrowing holes in guano and sometimes using scrapes or caves. In South America the Humboldt Penguin is found only along Pacific coast.
Yep. It's a penguin -- a South African Penguin. That's why the black and white parts are so clearly distinguished from each other. Can't we all just get along in a great big world of gray penguins?
Magellanic penguins are a South American penguin, breeding in coastal Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands, with some migrating to Brazil. They are native to the Strait of Magellan in the cool climate of southern Chile, hence the name's origin. They are medium-sized penguins which grow to be 61–76 cm (24–30 in) tall and weigh between 2.7 kg and 6.5 kg (5.9-14.3 lbs). Adults have black backs and white abdomens. There are two black bands between the head and the breast, with the lower band shaped in an inverted horseshoe. The head is black with a broad white border that runs from behind the eye, around the black ear-coverts and chin, and joins at the throat. Chicks and younger penguins have grey-blue backs, with a more faded grey-blue color on their chest. Magellanic Penguins can live up to 25 years in the wild, but as much as 30 years in captivity. They feed in the water, preying on cuttlefish, sardines, squid, krill, and other crustaceans, and ingest sea water with their prey.
This is an average sized penguin with a full grown weight of no more than 13 pounds. When they mature they will develop a black breast band. It will extend all the way down to the thigh region. They only have one band around their neck which is an easy way to tell them from the Magellanic Penguins that live in close proximity to them.
The Humboldt Penguin lives in South America along the Pacific Coast. It is found in both Chile and Peru. They enjoy the warmer climate compared to many other types of penguins out there. They live on the rocky areas around the shores.
Due to the warm temperatures where the Humboldt Penguins live, they don’t engage in the migration process. The physical appearance of these penguins is very much the same for both the males and females. It is from observing their behaviors though that they are able to be distinguished from each other.
Both sexes are very social within their colony. They have intricate sounds for communication that researchers still have to learn a great deal about. It through sight and sound that they are able to recognize each other as independent beings. The entire colony works together in order to offer protection from their enemies.
You may be surprised to discover how easily the Humboldt Penguin is able to glide through the water. They can move at a speed of up to 20 miles per hour. This is how they go about feeding on small fish and krill that live in the water. They don’t chew their food, instead the swallow it quickly.
When it comes to reproduction, the Humboldt Penguin can take part in this activity any time of the year. Generally, the more food that they have available the more they will engage in it. When food is scarce they won’t reproduce which is why there are concerns over dropping food sources because it can lead to even more of a reduction in their overall numbers.
They reach maturity to be able to reproduce from 2 to 7 years of age. The females will lay eggs in nests or burrows to protect them from predators. They can lay up to three eggs at a time. Both the male and the female take turns keeping the eggs warm until they hatch. It takes approximately 40 days for them to be born. If food is scarce then only the largest of the offspring will be fed and the others left to die.