Adelie penguin - description, habitat, interesting facts

The species Adelie penguin got its name in honor of the beloved wife of the explorer Dumont-Durville. He saw birds when he went to the territory of Antarctica. Before this, the place where he saw these penguins, he also named after his wife.

In the behavior of these individuals there are many habits that are very similar to human behavior. These penguin-like are unique, it is impossible to confuse them with any other species. The most common species of these northern birds that are not able to fly are imperial, royal and Adele.

Looking at them gives the impression that these creatures are very awkward. When viewing images, as well as seeing them live, it seems that they are not real birds, but cartoon characters.

When you meet them for the first time, I want to touch these cute birds. Although they live in a very cold, harsh climate, they seem fluffy and warm in appearance. All penguins belonging to different species are quite similar to each other, but at the same time have enough features to distinguish them from each other.

Description

These birds are similar to their brethren, but they are slightly smaller. Weigh about 6 kg, height is up to 70 cm.

The upper body is black with a blue tint, their abdomen is white. You can distinguish adelles from other penguins by the presence of a white mark located around the eyes.

They are not afraid of people and trust them. But, if they want to protect the territory, they can show rage. This type of lifestyle has become the basis for cartoons created in Japan and the USSR. It was about the adele penguins that such a cartoon was filmed as The Adventures of the Lolo Penguin. Another example is Do Your Feet.

People who work on the territory of their habitat are birds with special warmth. They call them Adeles because of their pretty appearance. But in fact, birds have a difficult character.

Habitats, lifestyle

Between April and October, life in the polar latitudes of the southern hemisphere is very bleak. During this period, representatives of the species live in the sea. They go far from nesting sites - 700 km. Here they rest, eat food in order to gain strength, because after that they will have to starve for quite some time.

In October, birds return to the nesting site. The weather at that time is very severe. Sometimes severe frost (about 40 degrees) is combined with a terrible wind. Birds just have to crawl to reach the goal. They move in large groups of several hundred or thousands of individuals.

They have regular partners, and meet with them near their old nest. Having met, they immediately begin to restore their old nest. They adorn him with stones, because of which they can even fight with other couples. At this time, they stop eating, although they have such an opportunity. The finished nest reaches a height of about 70 cm.

The rest of the time the birds are in the ocean near the pack ice. You can meet representatives of this species of penguins on the rocky coasts of Antarctica, as well as on the islands located nearby - the South Sandwich, South Scottish.

Nutrition

Their food is monotonous. Favorite treat is krill. Sometimes they eat fish and shellfish.

They eat about 2 kg of food per day. During the hunt, they can swim at a speed of up to 20 km / h.

Breeding

Their nesting period is strictly defined. Birds have a permanent partner with which they return to their nest. To get to it, the birds take more than a month. At first males come, in a week - females.

When the nest is restored, the female lays 2 eggs, and then goes in search of food. The male is starving and hatching eggs. After 3 weeks, the females replace them. Chicks appear in mid-January.

For 2 weeks, parents cover them with their bodies, then the chicks walk around. At the age of one month they unite in a "nursery", where they spend about a month. And after molting, young individuals begin to live independently.

Interesting Facts

1. The population of birds totals about 5 million individuals.
2. They have a very thick warm fat layer located under the skin. Sometimes this even leads to overheating of their body. When observing, you can see how they stand, spreading their wings to the sides. In this way, the penguin is trying to cool.
3. This species has a fasting period. It occurs at the beginning of the nesting period. Duration is approximately one and a half months. During this time, the weight of birds decreases by 40%.
4. At first, the parents monitor the offspring, and then they enter the "nursery for penguins."
5. Since birds have no other material for construction, the nests consist of pebbles.
6. They live 15-20 years. Listed in the Red Book.

Video: Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)