A penguin’s awkward waddle may seem comical on land but that’s because they are made to swim. Some penguins, like the fiordland and rockhopper, have even been found with barnacles growing on their feathers! Much of what seems odd about penguins is due to the fact that they spend so much time in the water. Penguins are birds of the ocean, spending up to 75 percent of their lives in the water. Each penguin species is uniquely adapted to its home environment.Īnatomy, Diversity & Evolution Anatomy Extreme Swimmers and Divers The yellow-eyed penguins of Enderby Island off New Zealand burrow under the trees of the dwarf rata forests. The Humboldt penguin of Chile and Peru lives on the shores of the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world where temperatures can reach around 70☏ (21☌). In fact, penguins inhabit a very diverse array of environments. Although the various species of penguins look similar, the largest penguin, the emperor, stands at 4 foot, 5 inches (1.35 meters) and the smallest penguin, the fairy or little, stands at about a foot tall (.33 meters).Ĭontrary to popular belief, only five penguin species ever set foot on the icy Antarctic continent and only two, the Adélie and emperor, live there exclusively. Clumsy and comical on land, they become beautifully graceful swimmers below the ocean’s waves. The name “petrel” comes from the story of Saint Peter who walked on water because petrels look like they’re running on water as they begin to take off into flight.Tuxedoed birds with endearing personalities, penguins are fascinating to young and old alike.The name Macronectes comes from Greek words makros which means “long” and nēktēs meaning “swimmer.”.Northern Giant Petrels have a reddish-pink bill while the Southern Petrels have bills that are a pale green.About 15% of the southern branch of the Petrels are almost completely white, causing them to be mistaken for albatrosses. ![]() There is an exception to the mottled grey look of the Petrels.Like some other seabird species, Giant Petrels secrete a saline solution from a nasal passage in order to rid their bodies of the excess salt they swallow while feeding.Giant Petrels are the only members of the Procellariidae family (Petrels, Prions, and Shearwaters) that have legs strong enough to allow them to move around on land.Petrels produce stomach oil which they can either spray out as a defensive measure or can be regurgitated as an energy-rich food for chicks or for themselves during long flights.Giant Petrels do not really have any natural predators, although they will come into potentially harmful conflict when trying to hunt Skua chicks and eggs. Do Giant Petrels have any natural predators? The Southern population is estimated at 97,000. The Northern Giant Petrel population is estimated to be between 17,000 to 21,000. Giant Petrels live up to 20 years in the wild. Once the juvenile fledges the parents will abandon it, leaving it to forage for itself from there on out. Once hatched the chick will fledge (take its first flight) at somewhere around 4 months. Nests are created on rocky or grassy ground and consist of moss, grass, and stones. Specific breeding seasons depend on where in the world any particular colony is located. Many breeding locations are shared between the Northern and Southern Giant Petrels on islands throughout the southern oceans, although the Northern members tend to breed starting about 6 weeks earlier than their Southern counterparts, the latter beginning their season in October. Southern Giant Petrels tend to mature a bit earlier, at around 6 years of age. Northern Giant Petrels become sexually mature at around 10 years of age. What are Giant Petrel birthing rituals like? Under favourable conditions Giant Petrels can sustain speeds of up to about 20 metres per second. They can become quite aggressive toward each other over disputed food. ![]() Giant Petrels will remain alone until breeding season by choice, however they are often brought together around food sources. They are also often spotted following fishing ships in order to pick fish out of nets or to collect offal. This applies especially to juvenile birds and chicks. They are known to attack other birds, either beating them to death or drowning them. Unlike other procellarids Petrels will also feed on land, mainly meaning carrion. Giant Petrels are prime examples of opportunistic feeders eating almost anything they can get their bills into. Body-configuration resembles that of the Albatross, though Petrels tend to be more hunch-backed. Location: Antarctic up through into subtropical regions of South America, Australia, and Africa.ĭiet: Carrion, birds, krill, squid, fish.Īppearance: Mottled grey or brown. Southern Giant Petrel ( Macronectes giganteus) – Antarctic Giant Petrel, Giant Fulmar, Stinker, Stinkpot, Gluttons Name: Northern Giant Petrel ( Macronectes halli) - Hall’s Giant Petrel, Sea Vulture
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