The Life Cycle of Penguins:  Chick to Juvenile

Chicks once hatched are looked after by both parents.  To begin with one parent stays with the chick while the other forages for food.  The chicks are typically fed once every day (although in some larger species the interval between parents changing duties and feeding the chicks may be longer - see the detailed species notes sections for individual species behaviour).  To begin with the chicks either sit on their parents feet (emperors and kings) or under their bellies, to keep warm and dry.
African penguin protecting it's small chicks
As the chicks grow larger they grow a thick protective coat of downy feathers that allows them to keep warm and dry independently of their parents - this is important since soon they can't fit under their parents for shelter.
African penguin "guarding" a larger chick

However, the chicks are still vulnerable to predators such as skuas, kelp gulls, etc. so they remain close to the parent on the nest site (the "guard stage").  As the chicks grow so does their appetite and the demand for food increases quickly making it difficult for just one of the parents to obtain enough food.  Eventually, the chicks are large enough that both parents can go to sea to gather food for their chick at the same time. In most species the chicks gather together in "creches" to provide protection both from predators and from the elements.  In some species, such as Kings, these creches can be very large with many hundreds of chicks tightly packed together, in other species such as Africans, the creches are smaller (with up to 10 or so chicks coming together) and very much less dense.
A "creche" of a few (nearly moulted) African chicks

As the chicks grow more or less to the same size as their parents, so they begin their first moult into their juvenile plumage and take their first trips out to sea.
An African penguin that has almost grown it's juvenile plumage

In most species it takes from 6 to 12 weeks to raise a chick to the juvenile stage.  However, Kings with their large chicks, take much longer (up to 13 months!) see the King penguin page for more details.  The Emperors manage to raise their large chicks more quickly, using a different strategy; the Emperor chicks moult into juvenile plumage while still much smaller than their parents.  The juveniles then continue to grow out at sea.
 

Guide to Pete & Barb's Penguin Pages
Front Page and Introduction · Descriptions of the Penguins · Detailed Species Notes · Breeding Behaviour · Common questions · Penguin Goodies · Penguin Bibliography · Good Penguin Guide · Photo Index · Links to other penguin sites · 'Penguin-balls' · Endangered Penguins ·
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