Archive for the SEABIRDS Category

"Spheniscus magellanicus" Magellanic Penguins stand about 70 centimeters tall and weigh an average of 4 kilograms. Their head & upper body is black and they have 2 wide black stripes, one under their chin and the other that forms an upside down "horseshoe" shape around their belly. The Magellanic Penguin wasRead more →

"Eudyptes chrysolophus" Macaroni Penguins are wonderful rather large, crested penguins with yellow plumes of feathers rising from their foreheads, extending back along the crown of their heads and down behind their eyes. The Macaroni Penguin was named by English explorers. In the mid-18th century, a young man who wore flashyRead more →

"Aptenodytes patagonicus" King Penguins are the second largest penguins after Emperor Penguins. Kings are sometimes confused with Emperors though their range is far to the north of the Emperor's habitat in Antarctica. Captain James Cook's voyage to Antarctica in 1775 encountered many King Penguins and the biologist with himRead more →

"Spheniscus humboldti" Humboldt Penguins are named after the Humboldt current, a cold, nutrient-rich current of water that runs from along the west coast of South America from northern Peru to the southern tip of Chile. The word Penguin first appears in the 16th century as a synonym for the now extinct GreatRead more →

"Pygoscelis papua" Gentoo Penguins are another Antarctic penguin species first described in 1871 by Johann Reinhold Forster, an explorer & naturalist who accompanied Captain Cook on his late 18th century voyages. The application of Gentoo to the penguin is unclear. The Oxford English Dictionary notes that "gentoo" used to be anRead more →

"Eudyptes pachyrhynchus" Fiordland-crested Penguins are one of the smaller species in the penguin family. They have black plumage on their back, head & throat with white plumage on their belly. They have a short, orange bill & pink feet and the characteristic yellow crests that extend from their bill toRead more →

"Eudyptes sclateri" Erect-crested Penguins are the largest of the 6 species of crested penguins standing about 50 centimeters tall and weighing up to 4 kilograms. Erect-crested Penguins are also known as "Big-crested Penguins". The "erect crest" component of their common name refers to the wide yellow streaks that point upward fromRead more →

"Aptenodytes forsteri" The scientific name for Emperor Penguins is made up of Aptenodytes, which means "featherless diver" and forsteri for Johann Reinhold Forster, a naturalist & colleague of  Captain James Cook in the 18th century who was one of first to describe the penguins. The Emperor is the largest penguin species standingRead more →

"Pygoscelis antarctica" Chinstrap Penguins like Emperor Penguins, were first described by Johann Reinhold Forster, who accompanied Captain Cook on his voyage of the HMS Resolution in 1772. They are characterized by their "chinstrap", a narrow band of black feathers found just beneath their chins that extends from ear to ear. TheRead more →

"Eudyptula minor" Blue Penguins also known as Fairy Penguins, were first described by Johann Reinhold Forster in the late 18th century during his voyages with Captain Cook on the HMS Resolution. They are the smallest penguin species standing only 25 centimeters tall and weighing an average ofRead more →