If we are talking about penguins, people will assume that penguins live in the Arctic, ice, polar bears, etc. This article is written to clarify that penguins not only live in the Arctic, but also in temperate zones. So, before you visit Marine Safari Bali, you will learn more about our penguins. Penguins are found in subantarctic and temperate regions. With each species adapted to varying ecosystems. Let’s deep dive into the curious birds, Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti)
General Description of Humboldt penguins
Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) are named after the cold-water Humboldt Current along the coasts of Peru and Chile. These medium-sized birds, typically standing 56–70 cm tall and weighing between 3.6–6 kg. Males are generally larger than females, with an average weight of about 4.7 kg. They are greyish-black and white in colour, with a large pink area around the base of their beak. We can’t distinguish male from female penguins by their appearance. This term we call sexual dimorphism. Even though penguins are birds, they may not be able to fly like most other birds. They are very agile swimmers and almost seem to ‘fly’ through the water. Their webbed feet and tail are used as boat rudders to help them steer and make rapid directional changes whilst chasing shoals of fish.
Humboldt penguins have plumage that provides countershading camouflage essential for marine life, where the dark dorsal surface merges with the ocean depths when viewed from above, and the pale ventral side blends with surface light when seen from below. wings, modified into rigid, wedge-shaped paddles covered in the same scaled feathers, enhance this adaptation by streamlining the body for swift underwater travel while maintaining the countershaded pattern. The beak is short, stout, and distinctly hooked at the tip with a triangular, squared-off profile, enabling precise grasping of agile fish prey in turbulent currents. Feet are robustly webbed between the toes for propulsion in water, with the legs and upper foot surfaces covered in thick.
Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Aves
- Order: Sphenisciformes
- Family: Spheniscidae
- Genus: Spheniscus
- Species: Spheniscus humboldti
Get to know more about the Banded Penguin
Humboldts belong to a group of penguins known as banded penguins There are 4 species of penguins that live in the temperate zone and are part of the banded penguin group . These birds are part of the scientific genus Spheniscus. They are called banded penguins because they all have similar black-and-white stripe patterns on their feathers. Their characteristic black-and-white banding and preference for warmer climates, unlike the icy realms often associated with penguins. They are adapted to live in temperate zones rather than the Antarctic’s frigid waters. Banded penguins use their voices to find each other, interact with their group, and recognize their friends or partners. Birds make sounds using a special organ called the syrinx. It’s located at the bottom of their windpipe.
Co-Parenting of Humboldt Penguin
Humboldts are generally monogamous, meaning they stay with the same partner year after year. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs. While one parent sits on the nest to keep the eggs warm and safe from predators, the other heads out to sea to feast on anchovies and squid. This ensures that neither parent starves while protecting the next generation. Penguin parental care can be divided into two periods. During the guard phase, penguin parents brood the chicks intensively; the female often returns to the sea to forage during this period, which can last up to 37 days. In the next phase, the chicks form tight groups, or creches as they’re called.
Extra-pair mating is always initiated by the female, but the costs and benefits of this strategy remain poorly understood. Another rare aspect of the mating of Humboldt penguins is that males may start usurps, defined as an unpaired male that invades the nest of an established pair. While this strategy is used to gain mates, there is a risk of injury and even death for the invader. After the eggs hatch, the parents share responsibility for feeding the chicks. Adults must provide sufficient food at frequent intervals to ensure chick survival, but this must be balanced with self-maintenance. This balance is achieved by alternating between short foraging trips to feed the chicks and longer trips for maintenance.
Underground Nursery
Unlike other bird species that build their nest above a branch, Humboldt Penguins use guano to build their nests. Humboldt penguins dig deep holes into layers of guano (dried bat or bird droppings) or find crevices in sea cliffs. They scrape out layers of soil and feces using the claws on their feet to create burrows. Even though it looks dirty, that nest used to be their home and the place where they took care of the eggs.
These burrows act like natural air conditioning, protecting the chicks from the harsh sun and keeping them hidden from hungry hawks. Humboldt penguins use covered nests that protect their eggs from both intense solar radiation and aerial and terrestrial predators. Oftentimes, penguins use the thick deposits of guano found on the shoreline to create their nests. They create burrows and deposit their eggs safely inside.Despite being adorable birds, Humboldt penguins face several threats, including habitat loss, climate change, overfishing, and entanglement in fishing nets. By getting to know them more closely, we can help protect and conserve them from extinction. Visit Marine Safari Bali to learn more about these incredible penguins.