Macaroni Penguins

Penguin Research

 

I.      Physical appearance

A.   Tuxedos

1.     white fronts extending from base of the neck to just above the ankles where they are more yellowish in color

2.     completely black on back and wings and most of the head

3.     macaroni plumes are actually yellow in color and do no stick straight up, but rather look like cow licks

4.     named because the shape the plumes make recollects the “macaroni hat”

5.     legs and feet are orange and no longer than 6 inches

a.     3 pronged webbed feet

B.    Wings

1.     wings are relaxed back and down at all times

2.     penguins do not have elbows

3.     no shoulders per say,

a.     more like a continuation of the neck.  A very steep slope and no angles really

b.     do occasionally flip wings while on land

C.    Posture

1.     stand very with remarkably straight backs

2.     contrary to perceptions, pelvis is tucked under-not extended bottom out

3.     if penguins had abs they would constantly be scooped

4.     head can either be held very high or buroughed completely to the chest

a.     head has a huge range of motion – almost like an owl

i.               observed turning it about 250 degrees

5.     movements start in the torso and spine which appear strong and flexible despite layer of blubber covering

D.   Movement

1.     penguins do not bend their knees when walking, the walk starts from the hip and extends through the ankle

a. this is very similar to the proper technique for swimming the freestyle or backstroke

b.     this also produces the characteristic side to side undulation

2.     penguins can jump small distances-usually up to a rock or into the water

3.     movements seem to be motivated by sensory information being received through the ears and smell through the beak

4. the penguins imaginary center often appears to be the beak

II.    Behaviors

A.   Social Skills

1.     less social than king or gentoo penguins

2.     can sit within centimeters from each other without ever looking at each other

3.     preen each other to clean feathers, and stimulate oil glands that protect feathers in the water and make the penguin more hydro dynamic and interact (antarcticconnection.com)

4.     hunt in large groups

B.    Danger alerts

1.     when threatened or agitated one will lift its head and call to the rest of the group

a. the whole group will then dive into the water together and exit together when they find it safe

C.    Mating

1.     adults starting around age 5(penguinworld.com)

2.     find mates by issuing a call or song that their life long mate will recognize

3.     mating is generally done on rocky coasts during the summer

D.   Chicks and Hatching

1.     during the incubation period, both parents will take twelve hour shifts warming the egg (penguins.cl)

2.     in the hatching period the mother will go to sea to hunt for up to 3 weeks and come back after her chick has hatched (penguinworld.com)

3.     macaroni penguin chicks are guarded by both parents for six months after birth, after which the chicks find their own mates and become adults  (penguinworld.com)

4.     incubating is done, as with all penguins by the adults standing over the egg using their folds of blubber to keep the egg warm

5.     two eggs are produced per mating cycle, and the first is always smaller and always dies.  It is often left out of the nest to serve as a decoy for hungry hawks to distract them from the healthy egg (David Attenborough BBC  wildlife)

a. if both eggs are killed the mother will not lay anymore eggs until her next mating cycle which can be up to five years away.  (David Attenborough BBC wildlife/penguin world)

E.    Molting

1.     molting occurs every year in spring when the antartic begins to have sunlit days after 6 months of dark winter

2.     penguins cannot hunt or be near water during their molting period, and so will spend up to 3 weeks at sea feeding before the molting period begins (Pittsburgh Zoo plaque)

 

 

F.    Defecation

1.     contrary to popular belief penguins are clean animals.

2.     When defecating macaroni penguins find the highest location possible, usually a rock and face away from all the other penguins and then sort of projectile poop into the water

III.  Environmental Factors

A.   time cycles

1.     in the Antarctic, six months of winter during which no sunlight is visible is followed by six months of light and very little darkness

a.     because of these rapid changes, penguins rely more on sound than sight

b.     the harsh winters also dictate molting and mating cycles

B.    Diet

1.     macaroni penguins feed primarily on krill and small fish when possible

2.     penguins can hunt for several weeks at a time, sleeping at sea

C.    Predators

1.     seals are the major predators of adult penguins

a. look on youtube for horrifying video of vicious seals tearing cute little penguins limb from limb

2.     Hawks will often feed on penguin eggs or chicks

D.   Swimming

1.     remarkably balanced in the water seemingly floating directly on the surface

2.     lift heads straight out of the water vertically for air instead of to the side like humans

3.     propulsion stems from the wings moving backward like flippers and an undulation in the ankles

all information not otherwise sited was obtained through observation or with the help of Zoo Keepers at the Pittsburgh Highland Park Zoo

youtube video of Macaroni penguins

video page of macaroni penguins

map of habitat