MACARONI PENGUINS (Eudyptes chrysolophus)
SIZE:
- 20-24 in. (51-61 cm)
- 10 lb (4.5 kg)
THREAT LEVEL:
Vulnerable
DISTRIBUTION:
Islands near Antarctica in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, in particular Cape Horn, Falklands, South Georgia, South Sandwich, South Orkney, South Shetland, Bouvetøya, Prince Edward, Marion, Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard and Macquarie Islands.
HABITAT:
Breeds on rocky slopes, beaches and in grass. Nests are made of pebbles and by scraping out some mud or sand, but many pairs are content with laying their two eggs on bare rock.
MARKINGS:
Unlike other crested penguins, Macaroni penguins have a crest of orange plumes extends backwards, not yellow plumes.
NEST TYPE:
- In colonies out in the open
PREY:
- Crustaceans, squid, krill
PREDATORS:
- Leopard seals, fur seals, skuas, sheathbills
POPULATION ESTIMATE:
- 9 million breeding pairs
Sources:
http://www.penguins.cl/penguins-species.htm
http://www.penguinworld.com/types/adelie.html
noaa.org
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