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2

Adelie Penguin

(Pygoscelis adeliae)
Size: 45-75 cm
Weight: 3.6-6 kg

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Adelie Penguin at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

Near-frontal view of adult Adelie Penguins (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Windmill Islands, Antarctica, December 1993]

Adelie Penguins on an ice float (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]

Adelie Penguins close to their most dreaded enemy - a Leopard Seal (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Windmill Islands, Antarctica, December 1993]

Adelie Penguins on the edge of the continental ice shelf, with an iceberg floating by in the background (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Windmill Islands, Antarctica, December 1993]

Adelie Penguins waiting for an opening to appear for them to dive into the sea without being crushed by ice (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]

Adelie Penguins swimming out to sea (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Lateral view of Adelie Penguins; the bird on the right is a juvenile; note the white chin (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Windmill Islands, Antarctica, December 1993]

Adelie Penguin rookery (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Windmill Islands, Antarctica, December 1993]

Breeding information

Breeding season: Jun - Jan Eggs: 2 - 3 Incubation period: 14 days Fledging age: ca. 15 days

Nest building: Incubation: Dependent care:

Nest

"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal]

Type: Bowl Material: Root fibres, grass stems, webs Height above ground: 1 - 10 m

Nests are bowls in rock mounds heaped up by the birds.

Overview of a large nesting colony of Adelie Penguins; close inspection of the photo shows that the top of the entire hill is populated by Adelie Penguins (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]

Overview of a large nesting colony of Adelie Penguins; close inspection of the photo shows that the top of the entire hill if populated by Adelie Penguins (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]

Adelie Penguins climbing the rock-strewn slope of a hill to reach their nests (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]

Closer view of the lower part of the Adelie Penguin colony (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]

Adelie Penguin with half-grown chicks in their nests (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]

Adelie Penguin with half-grown chicks in their nests (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]

Small nesting colony of Adelie Penguins (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Windmill Islands, Antarctica, December 1993]

Small nesting colony of Adelie Penguins (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Windmill Islands, Antarctica, December 1993]

Eggs

"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay]

Size: 20 x 15 mm Colour: Creamy, with light-brown speckles Shape: Tapered oval

Adelie Penguins on their rock nests, with eggs visible under both birds (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Windmill Islands, Antarctica, December 1993]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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