Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus)

Other Names (World)
Chinstrap Penguin, Ringed Penguin, Bearded Penguin, Antarctic Penguin, Stonecracker

Family
Spheniscidae (Penguins)

Size
69 - 77 cm

First Described (Guide)
(Forster, 1781)

Derivation
Pygoscelis - Gk, pygos, elbow; Gk, oscelos, leg: an-tarc'-tic-a - L., southern

Abundance (Guide)
V

Estimated population, 18 million.

Summer vagrant to Macquarie Island, Tasmania and Victoria.

Habitat
Marine, in Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters.

Range (Guide)

Antarctica (B), Argentina, Bouvet Island (B), Chile, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), French Southern Territories, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (B).

Vagrant to Australia, Heard Island and McDonald Islands, New Zealand, South Africa, St Helena.

Circumpolar, with bulk of population in southern Atlantic.

Breeds at Antarctica and at various sub-Antarctic islands, including Heard Island. Vagrant to Macquarie Island, several recors from Tasmania.

Rarity Status
View Rarity Status Information

Population
Estimated population is 8,000,000 (2010).

Status LC
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

Food
Almost entirely euphausiids, with a few fish and other crustaceans, probably taken in pursuit-diving, near the surface.

Voice
Loud cackling and quite humming and hissing calls uttered mainly at nest sites during the breeding season.

Xeno-Canto Sound Files (more (20)...)

Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) [XC254599]
by Andrew Spencer from Half Moon Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica (call)

Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) [XC619451]
by Meena Haribal from Hannah Point, Antarctica (song)

Breeding Season (Guide)
Does not breed in Australia. Breeds mostly on Antarctic Peninsula and sub-Antarctic Islands (late November - early December).

Nest
On the ground, a circular platform of small stones with a shallow cup. Ooccasionally feathers and artificial objects may also be incorporated. In colonies.

Eggs (Guide)
1 - 3, usually 2; smooth, off-white to cream, sometimes streaked or tinged green; oval; about 62 - 73 x 49 - 57 mm. Incubation: about 34 - 40 days; by both sexes, in alternate shifts.

Young
Semi-altricial, nidicolous. Fed by both parents.

Subspecies
Said to form superspecies with Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae).

No subspecies.

Similar Species
Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)
Similar size. Juvenile with juvenile. The black of the crown extends well below the eye and the bill appears shorter.

Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli)
Similar size. Adult with adult. Has a huge orange bill and yellow-orange head plumes.

Compare Images

References
See References.

The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9

Files:

JPG files for Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) - 10 files

More Information

BirdLife International

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BirdLife International Species Factsheet.

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