Macaroni Penguin

Name: Macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus)

Length: 69-71 cm (27-28 inches)

Weight: 4-6 kg (9-14 pounds)

Location: Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic Peninsula

Conservation status: Vulnerable

Diet: Krill, fish, crustaceans, squid

Appearance: Black, white belly, black face, yellow/orange crest from the forehead, heavy red/orange bill, pink feet, red eyes

What do macaroni penguins eat?

Macaroni penguins spend six months at sea foraging for fish, crustaceans, and squid. They swallow small stones to help grind up the shells of crustaceans. During mating season, krill is a crucial food source. They are the largest consumer of marine resources among sea birds, eating tons of krill annually. They dive from 15 to 70 meters (49 to 229 feet), sometimes reaching 100 meters (330 feet), with dives lasting around two minutes.

Do macaroni penguins socialize?

Macaroni penguins form large colonies and foraging groups. Males can be aggressive, locking beaks and slap-fighting with flippers. To maintain peace, they move through colonies with heads tucked down.

How fast can macaroni penguins move?

They usually swim at about 15 kph (9.3 mph) but can reach speeds up to 24 kph (15 mph).

What are macaroni penguin mating rituals like?

Females mature at five years, males at six. During the Antarctic summer (starting around October), they return to colonies of up to 100,000 members. Most return to previous mates. Females lay two eggs, discarding the first smaller one. Incubation is shared: both parents for the first 12 days, then alternating 12-day periods for hunting. The non-hunting parent loses about 40% of its weight. Eggs hatch after 35 days. Chicks form a crèche to stay warm until their protective feathers grow. After two months, the colony returns to sea.

How long do macaroni penguins live?

They live about 15-20 years.

How many macaroni penguins are there today?

There are an estimated nine million breeding pairs, but some populations have declined by 50% in the last four decades due to warming seas and pollution.

Do macaroni penguins have any predators?

Chicks and eggs are preyed upon by sea birds like skuas and petrels. Adults are hunted by some seal species and orcas.

Seven marvelous macaroni penguin facts

• The name "macaroni" refers to their orange plume feathers, inspired by 18th-century English slang for a man who dressed extravagantly.
• They can travel 400 km (250 miles) to find hunting sites.
• "Eudyptes" means "good diver" in Greek, and "chrysolophus" means "golden crest."
• They moult once a year to replace worn-out feathers.
• Their nests are usually simple scrapes in the ground with some grass lining.
• They are the largest of the crested penguins.
• Unlike some penguins that waddle, macaroni penguins hop.