Great crested penguins: description and photo

Penguins (Spheniscidae) belong to the family of flightless seabirds, this is the only family in the order of penguin. It counts 18 species, all of them are beautiful and unusual in their own way. For example, the crested penguin of Antarctica Truly is a miracle, created by nature. After all, nature is the most talented sculptor and artist who breathes life into his creations!

The Great Crested Penguin (Fudyptes sclateri) is a very interesting creature. The name "penguin" originated from Welsh "pen", which means "head", and from the word "gwyn", in translation - "white". Adding these two words, we get "penguin," for the sonority, the letter "e" was changed to "and". Although there is another version of the origin of this name. Sailors nicknamed the ridiculous tumblers by the word "pinguis", in translation from Latin - "fat." This nickname is quite consistent with their physique.

Crested Penguin: description

These hulking creatures are relatively small. The body length of the penguin is 60-65 cm on average, the weight of birds is about 2.5-3.5 kg. But it should be noted that before molting fatties are much more, it happens that up to 6.5-7 kg. The males can be visually, even from a distance, distinguished from the females by a much larger size.

Head, upper part of throat and cheeks of penguins of black color. Two yellowish tufts of feathers, starting from the nostrils, stretch through dark red eyes and run along the vertex back. Thanks to their crests, they are called "crested penguins", from other species these handsome men are distinguished by their ability to wiggle their feathers. The top of the body is black, it casts blue, the bottom is contrastingly white. Wings-fins bluish-black with a white border around the edges. The beak is thin and rather long, brownish in color, closer to orange.

Where do big crested penguins live in nature?

Cute penguins with tufts in nature are found near New Zealand and Australia. Prefer their nests on the islands of Bounty, Antipodes, Oakland and Campbell. During the winter months, they do not leave the cold waters of the Antarctic. Nest in large colonies along with other species of crested penguins. The islands favored by land birds, rocky, there are many caves in the rocks suitable for the construction of penguin nests. It is in such caves that future feathered parents carefully build places for incubating offspring.

Reproduction

As it was already written earlier, the crested penguins reproduce in large colonies. In the place where it is planned to arrange a nesting place (a flat section of rocks is not higher than 65-70 m above sea level), males come first, within two weeks females join them. During the reunion, fights begin between males, as the beginning of the mating season is celebrated every year in the penguin kingdom.

When the passions subsided, the couple begin building a nest. First the female, having picked up a place, rakes out rubbish from it with paws. The male is given "masculine" hard work, he brings material that consists of stones, grass and dirt. Of all this, the future father of the family lays a nest.

In early October, egg laying begins, which lasts 3-4 days. The penguin mom lays two eggs: one small, the other large. During the laying, the female does not eat anything. When the eggs are already in the nest, the incubation begins for 35 days. The first egg in 98 percent of cases is lost, and the remaining second is hanging out.

After sitting 2-3 days on eggs, the future mother goes to look for food, the male remains on duty in the nest, all responsibility falls on him. Within 3-4 weeks, the caring father does not eat anything, he can not leave the nest, otherwise the eggs will freeze. So the poor devil has to fast, waiting for the return of the female. During this time, the crested handsome man loses great weight, if the wife does not return in time, he may starve to death.

At the end of this period, if the female's campaign ends successfully, she returns to her husband and the hatched chick (very rarely there are two chicks). The male leaves the family and goes to look for food in order to gain the lost weight. The crested mummy-penguin feeds the kids, regurgitating the food, heats them and takes care of them. In February, the grown-up grown-up children leave the shelter in which they were born.

Moulting

Very interesting moment in the life of penguins is molting, the phenomenon is very prolonged, and they are preparing for it already in February. After the release of the chicks from the nest, the adult birds part and go to fatten before moulting in the sea for a whole month. At the end of this period, families reunite, this leads to mating games. At this time, a real molt begins, which lasts 28 days. This is the penguins "honeymoon", during moult they are inseparable and spend all the time near the nest. In mid-April, the feathers are being renewed, and the crested penguins Again go into the sea.

How do they talk?

Penguins are birds, although they are terrestrial. To sing these fatties are able, especially during courtship for the female, if, of course, these marital "serenades" can be called songs. The voice of the penguin is rather a cry. Their mating games are accompanied by low sounds, which are repeated evenly. "Sing" thus black and white singers only during the day, at night they never hear their screams.

How do they fight?

Male penguins, like all males, like to occasionally fight. Most often this happens because of the females or when it is necessary to protect the nest from uninvited guests. Aggressive opponents pull their head upright with a belligerent tuft raised and swing it from side to side. Before the start of the battle, the males begin to "blow", while bowing and twitching their shoulders.

During the fight, the penguins tilt their heads with a grunt, beat each other with beaks and wing fins. Sometimes even bites are used, if the fighters are too addicted to the battle.

A very beautiful bird - a crested penguin, a photo of this confirmation, because not all lovers of nature can afford to see these creatures in their natural habitat. There is scientific evidence that over the past 45 years, the number of penguins has declined by almost half. This species is listed in the Red Book!