Macaroni Penguin
Category: Penguin
Facts about Macaroni Penguin, "Scientific name for Macaroni Penguin Eudyptes chrysolophus". The Macaroni Penguin are black and yellow in color. This species has very stiff wings and cannot therefore fly. An adult macaroni penguin is about 12 pounds heavy (71.1cm) and 28 inches (5.4kg ) tall. These penguins are very good at swimming due to the shape of their flippers.
Macaroni Penguins molt each year and they a
Facts about Macaroni Penguin. "Scientific name for Macaroni Penguin Eudyptes chrysolophus". The Macaroni Penguin loves cooler climates and as such they are mostly found along, Sub Antarctic regions, Antarctic Peninsula and South America South America. Macaroni Penguins migrate annually so do not be surprised to find them in areas that are not their normal residences.
Features of the Macaroni Penguin
The Macaroni Penguin has an orange, not yellow feather plumes. They come from a supercilium (the arch of hair above each eye) that meets at the front and also higher on the head than in other species. The Macaroni Penguin are black and yellow in color. This species has very stiff wings and cannot therefore fly. An adult macaroni penguin is about 12 pounds heavy (71.1cm) and 28 inches (5.4kg ) tall. These penguins are very good at swimming due to the shape of their flippers.
Diet of the Macaroni Penguin
Most penguins eat sea food. The Macaroni Penguin is no exception. The Macaroni Penguin species feed on krill, small fish and squid. They mostly hunt for their food on shallow waters but they can dive deep into the waters when there isn’t enough on the shallow waters. Hunting at night is not a problem for the macaroni penguin since they have excellent eyesight. Macaroni Penguin don't drink water, since they take in seawater as they swallow their meal and like all penguins, they have a that special gland that removes salt from their bodies after swallowing saltwater.
Molting of Macaroni Penguins
Macaroni Penguins molt each year and they appear quite different during the molting (the meaning of molting of an animal: the shed of old feathers, hair, or skin, or an old shell, to make way for a new growth: the adult Macaroni Penguins were already molting into their winter shades of gray) period.
During the molting period the macaroni can go for up to four weeks without food. This is because it is not easy for them to dive into the water without their feathers that protect them from the cold.
About the Macaroni Penguins
Macaroni Penguins just like other penguins form large colonies and they socialize quite well in these colonies.
The Macaroni Penguins are not very aggressive but they are very protective of their young ones. Female macaroni penguins may also aggressively fight for the males they wish to mate with.
Reproduction of the Macaroni Penguin
A female Macaroni Penguin matures at the age of five years while a male comes into maturity at six years of age. There are more male Macaroni Penguins than there are females making it easy for female penguins to select their mating mates from the many males during the mating season. Most Macaroni Penguins breeding that is done on Macquarie Island (south of Australia) they have a white face and are referred to as Royal Penguins.
The Macaroni Penguin lays two eggs at a time with the first egg being too small to be incubated. The incubation period lasts for about 34 days. Both the male and female Macaroni Penguin takes part in the incubation period where they warm the eggs in turns throughout the period.
Once the eggs hatch the father takes care of the chicks for three weeks while the mother fends for them.
The global population is estimated at around 18,000,000 mature individuals.
The Macaroni Penguin loves cooler climates and as such they are mostly found along, Sub Antarctic regions, Antarctic Peninsula and South America South America. Macaroni Penguins migrate annually so do not be surprised to find them in areas that are not their normal residences.
Macaroni Penguins just like other penguins form large colonies and they socialize quite well in these colonies.
The Macaroni Penguins are not very aggressive but they are very protective of their young ones. Female macaroni penguins may also aggressively fight for the males they wish to mate with.
Most penguins eat sea food. The Macaroni Penguin is no exception. The Macaroni Penguin species feed on small fish, krill and squid. They mostly hunt for their food on shallow waters but they can dive deep into the waters when there isn’t enough on the shallow waters. Hunting at night is not a problem for the macaroni penguin since they have excellent eyesight.
During the molting period the macaroni can go for up to four weeks without food. This is because it is not easy for them to dive into the water without their feathers that protect them from the cold.
A female Macaroni Penguin matures at the age of five years while a male comes into maturity at six years of age. There are more male Macaroni Penguins than there are females making it easy for female penguins to select their mating mates from the many males during the mating season. Most Macaroni Penguins breeding that is done on Macquarie Island (south of Australia) they have a white face and are referred to as Royal Penguins
The Macaroni Penguin lays two eggs at a time with the first egg being too small to be incubated. The incubation period lasts for about 34 days. Both the male and female Macaroni Penguin takes part in the incubation period where they warm the eggs in turns throughout the period.
Once the eggs hatch the father takes care of the chicks for three weeks while the mother fends for them.
The global population is estimated at around 18,000,000 mature individuals.