Reproduction

How does the magellanic penguin produce its young?

Breeding occurs once per year during summer and takes place in a large colony with up to 400,000 individuals. Colonies are dense with only a short gap between nests. Partners remain together using a call. Each year they mate with the same partner.

Males will fight at the beginning of the breeding season for nest sites and mates.

Their nest is formed among grass or rocks. They may even dig a burrow in to soft soil. The burrow ends with a chamber which is higher than the tunnel to prevent water getting near the eggs.

A female will deposit 2 eggs within the nest around 37 days after mating. Both the male and female will share incubation between foraging for food and incubating their eggs.

If resources are plentiful they will raise both chicks but during times of food scarcity they will focus all of their efforts on one chick.

The chick is fed once every three or so days. It will remain in the nest for nine to seventeen weeks. After fledging the chick may still be fed for another 10 days.

Sexual maturity is reached at four years old.

Behavior

What does the magellanic penguin do with its day?

These birds produce a vocalization which is likened to the bray of a donkey.

Summer is spent on land at the breeding colony. During winter they take to the water where they will hunt for food.

When at sea they can remain underwater for 90 seconds before surfacing. They will dive to depths up to 50m (164ft).

Each year these animals undergo a molt. This occurs during March soon after they finish breeding. They spend a period at sea building up body mass before coming ashore. Then over 19-22 days they will lose their feathers and grow new ones. During this time they are not waterproof and must remain on shore.

If these birds become too hot they will extend their flippers up increasing surface area for the breeze to cool.

Credit: Public Domain

Predators and Threats

What is impacting the survival of the magellanic penguin?

Natural predators of the magellanic penguin include birds such as kelp gulls, mammals such as red foxes, cats such as pumas, South American sea lions and orcas.

Introduced predators such as dogs will hunt this species in parts of their range.

Current estimates place the magellanic penguin population at between 1.1 and 1.6 million pairs but this number is declining.

This species is facing a range of threats. Major factors in their decline have been oil pollution, climate change and effects of fishery operations.

Increases in oil exploration along the South American coast are increasing this threat.

Fisheries mostly impact them through bycatch in nets and other fishing equipment.

Climate change has seen the amount of rain increase across their habitat. This can wet the chicks which will often then die from hypothermia.

In some areas their eggs and the adults are harvested for food. Some are also taken for use in bait.

Quick facts

This species was described by Ferdinand Magellan who recorded them during an expedition to South American in 1520.