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Chinstrap Penguin
(Pygoscelis antarctica)
: "Ringed Penguin", "Bearded Penguin", "Stonecracker Penguin"
Size: 69-77 cm
Weight: 3-5 kg
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
Chinstrap Penguins are medium-sized penguins, with an all-white
front and an all-black back. Their characteristic feature is a
narrow black chin band. Males are larger and heavier than females.
The irises are dark; the bill is black, while the legs and feet
are skin-pink.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Chinstrap
Penguin at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the Chinstrap Penguin is available
HERE
.
Chinstrap Penguins have a circumpolar distribution around
Antarctica. They breed on subantarctic islands.
On Australian soil, Chinstrap Penguins are found in Australian
Antarctica and on Macquarie Island. Sometimes vagrants
are found in Tasmania (and in New Zealand).
Chinstrap Penguins are non-flying pelagic birds that spend
most of their time out in the open ocean and in coastal waters.
Penguins can also spend much of their time on ice.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
M. Mearns reports spotting Chinstrap Penguins on the Antarctic
continent in January 2005.
All sighting and photographic information presented on this
page has kindly been contributed by M. Mearns.
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Photos |
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ADULT |
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Lateral view of a Chinstrap Penguin; click on photo to compare it with a
Gentoo Penguin, left, and
an Adelie Penguin, right
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]
Lateral view of a Chinstrap Penguin; click on photo to compare it with
an Adelie Penguin
(photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Antarctica, January 2005]
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.