Macaroni penguin
| Macaroni Penguin | |
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| Species: | E. chrysolophus
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| Eudyptes chrysolophus (Brandt, 1837)
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The Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) is a species of penguin closely related to the Rockhopper Penguin.
This is a black and white penguin with a yellowish orange plume above its eye. It generally lays two eggs, abandoning the first. Its vital statistics are around 4.5 kg and 45-55 cm tall. It eats squid, krill and other crustaceans. The eggs hatch around 34 days after they are laid.
The Macaroni Penguin is the most numerous of all the world's penguins, with an estimated world population of over 9 million breeding pairs. It breeds in at least 216 colonies at 50 sites, including southern Chile, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, the South Orkney and South Shetland Islands, Bouvet Island, Prince Edward Islands of South Africa, Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Heard Island and McDonald Islands and very locally on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Despite its large population, the Macaroni Penguin has been classified as Vulnerable by BirdLife International, as its population has been reduced by at least 30% over three generations. The main threats to its breeding grounds are those common to all Southern Ocean species, such as the existing and potential impact of commercial fishing, ocean warming and oil pollution.
The name Macaroni is said to be a reference to the Macaroni Club via the old song Yankee Doodle, because of the bird's conspicuous "feather in its cap".
The Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus)
• Macaroni penguins are similar to the Royal penguins • They both have the yellow and black plumes joining on the top of the head • The difference is that the Macaroni has solid black feathers on the cheeks and under the chin on the throat • While the Royal penguins have white chins • There are large breeding colonies of Macaroni penguins on sub-Antarctic Islands of South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard & McDonald Islands • Colonies are also located on small islands off the southern tips of South America and Africa • There are an estimated total population of 12 million breeding pairs of Macaroni penguins • They stand about 28 inches (71 cm) tall • Weigh 11 to 13 lbs. (5 to 6 kg) • This penguin was named by the early English explorers. In the mid 18th century • A young man who wore flashy feathers in his hat was called a "Macaroni". • This is also the origin for the words to "Yankee Doodle" sung during the Revolutionary War to poke fun at the poorly dressed Continental Army. • The English explorers thought the yellow feathers of this penguin were like a fancy young man called”macaroni". • Macaroni penguins build a crude nest by scraping a shallow hole in mud or gravel among rocks • The first egg laid is smaller and less likely to hatch • It is often lost to predators and fighting that occurs in the large breeding colonies • The second egg is larger and more likely to hatch • The incubation, keeping the egg warm, is done by both male and female in long shifts. • The egg usually hatches within 33 to 37 days. • The male cares for the newly hatched chick for 23 to 25 days while the female brings food daily • At this time chicks have a down covering and they form groups with other chicks called "crèches" for warmth and protection • The parents will feel them every 1 to 2 days until they have their adult feathers and are ready to go on their own • This takes place in about 60 to 70 days • Macaroni penguins eat mostly krill with small amounts of squid. • Macaroni penguins are the largest of the six species of crested penguins. • Macaroni penguins have several natural predators: Leopard seals, sea lions, and orcas (killer whales) will occasionally take adults at sea, while gulls, skuas, petrels and other shore birds patrol breeding sites for unattended eggs and young. • Chicks develop their waterproof plumage and fledge at about 11 weeks of age. • They still lack the crests of the adults, and have instead a scattering of small yellow feathers. • They also differ in having blackish brown bills and brown eyes. • Once the chicks have left, the adults spend about three weeks at sea feeding in preparation for their annual moult. • The moult lasts about 25 days, and adults then leave the breeding sites completely, and spend the winter months at sea. • Females can begin breeding at 5 years of age, but the males do not normally breed until at least 6 years old. • This may be a because of there being a greater number of males than females, allowing females to select more experienced males as partners.
The Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus)
Headline text
Macaroni penguins are similar to the Royal penguins They both have the yellow and black plumes joining on the top of the head The difference is that the Macaroni has solid black feathers on the cheeks and under the chin on the throat While the Royal penguins have white chins There are large breeding colonies of Macaroni penguins on sub-Antarctic Islands of South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard & McDonald Islands Colonies are also located on small islands off the southern tips of South America and Africa There are an estimated total population of 12 million breeding pairs of Macaroni penguins They stand about 28 inches (71 cm) tall Weigh 11 to 13 lbs. (5 to 6 kg) This penguin was named by the early English explorers. In the mid 18th century A young man who wore flashy feathers in his hat was called a "Macaroni". This is also the origin for the words to "Yankee Doodle" sung during the Revolutionary War to poke fun at the poorly dressed Continental Army. The English explorers thought the yellow feathers of this penguin were like a fancy young man called”macaroni". Macaroni penguins build a crude nest by scraping a shallow hole in mud or gravel among rocks The first egg laid is smaller and less likely to hatch It is often lost to predators and fighting that occurs in the large breeding colonies The second egg is larger and more likely to hatch The incubation, keeping the egg warm, is done by both male and female in long shifts. The egg usually hatches within 33 to 37 days. The male cares for the newly hatched chick for 23 to 25 days while the female brings food daily At this time chicks have a down covering and they form groups with other chicks called "crèches" for warmth and protection The parents will feel them every 1 to 2 days until they have their adult feathers and are ready to go on their own This takes place in about 60 to 70 days Macaroni penguins eat mostly krill with small amounts of squid. Macaroni penguins are the largest of the six species of crested penguins. Macaroni penguins have several natural predators: Leopard seals, sea lions, and orcas (killer whales) will occasionally take adults at sea, while gulls, skuas, petrels and other shore birds patrol breeding sites for unattended eggs and young. Chicks develop their waterproof plumage and fledge at about 11 weeks of age. They still lack the crests of the adults, and have instead a scattering of small yellow feathers. They also differ in having blackish brown bills and brown eyes. Once the chicks have left, the adults spend about three weeks at sea feeding in preparation for their annual moult. The moult lasts about 25 days, and adults then leave the breeding sites completely, and spend the winter months at sea. Females can begin breeding at 5 years of age, but the males do not normally breed until at least 6 years old. This may be a because of there being a greater number of males than females, allowing females to select more experienced males as partners.