Magellanic Penguin - Spheniscus Magellanicus
Distinguishing features	Magellanic penguins have a broad black band under their chin and another that runs in an inverted horseshoe shape around their fronts. The chest is dotted with a few black spots in a random pattern. Although the pattern of banding on Galapagos penguins is similar to that on Magellanic Penguins, they are easily distinguished. Magellanic Penguins are considerably larger than Galapagos Penguins and the main black band around the front is much thinner on Galapagos Penguins.
Alternative name	The Magellanic penguins are often called "Jackass penguins" on the Falkland Islands.  This can be very confusing as the African penguin is also often called a "Jackass penguin".
Height	Magellanic Penguins stand 60 cm tall
Weight	Weight varies through the year from 4 to 6 kg.
Breeding locations	Magellanic penguins breed on the east and southern coasts of South America, on off shore islands and in the Falkland Islands. The total population is estimated to be 400,000 breeding pairs.
Nesting behaviour	Nests are built well apart usually under bushes or in burrows. Two eggs are laid and in good years both chicks are reared. Incubation takes 39 to 42 days shared equally between both parents in long shifts of 10 to 15 days. Chicks are brooded and guarded for 29 days after hatching with feeding and guard duties shared between the parents with the chicks being fed every 2 to 3 days. Chicks moult and go to sea when 60 to 70 days old.
Principal diet	Magellanic penguins eat a mixture of squid and small schooling fish.

Bibliography

Penguins of the World Pauline Reilly, OUP, Oxford, 1994.

The Penguins Tony D Williams, OUP, Oxford, 1995. 

 

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