Species profile

Name: the gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) is a species of penguin closely related to the Adelie and chinstrap penguins.

Appearance: they are easily recognised by the white stripes across the tops of their heads, and their bright orange-red bills. They have pale whitish-pink feet and fairly long tails.

Size: gentoo penguins can reach a height of up to 90 cm and a weight of 8.6 kg, making them the third-largest species of penguin after the emperor and king penguin.

Diet: they mainly feed on crustaceans such as krill, with fish making up only a small part of their diet.

Did you know: gentoo penguins are monogamous, and return to the same partner to breed. Infidelity is frowned upon and can be punished with banishment from the colony. Nests are made from a pile of stones and can be quite large. These stones are guarded jealously, and their ownership can be the subject of noisy disputes and physical fights. Stones are also prized by female gentoos, and males have been known to court favours from females by offering them choice stones!

Location: they breed on ice-free islands throughout the Subantarctic and Antarctic. The main colonies are on the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and the Kerguelen Islands.

Where to see gentoo penguins

According to reports submitted to WildSide, you can see gentoo penguins in the following places:

Photo credit: LoneWombatMedia under a Creative Commons licence from Pixabay