Every summer our Humboldt Penguins
go through their annual moult.
This moult is catastrophic ~ the birds lose all their feathers
before growing a completely new plumage.
Immediately prior to the moult the penguins gorge themselves
on fish instinctively knowing they are about to lose their waterproof
covering for a few weeks.
The image above, shows a Humboldt Penguin starting to moult.
HUMBOLDT PENGUIN Scientific Name: Spheniscus
humboldti Size: Feathers - 2.1 cms
Height: 70 centimetres
Weight: 3.6 - 4 kilograms REPRODUCTION / LIFE SPAN Breeding:
Springtime/Autumn Nest:
Caves and Under protected areas Eggs:
1 - 3 (average 2) Incubate forty days Young:
Eat regurgitated food
Try swimming at three months
DIET Wild: Anchovies, squid
and crustaceans Zoo: Sprats, herring,
vitamins & salt tablets HABITAT/RANGE
Coastal Islands, Peru and Chile
Found only in Southern Hemisphere
After gorging the penguins swell
up - including their flippers. At the Park this results in the
keepers needing to cut off their identification tags to allow
for expansion before replacing them once their flippers have
returned to normal!
The image above, shows the moult over and stunning new feather
growth. After a week or so the Penguins grow a completely new
set of feathers and look really striking and will return to
the water to feed.
Photo courtesy of Tara Hayter
(Education Officer)
CHARACTERISTICS Bones : Solid (as opposed
to hollow bones in flying birds). Act as ballast while diving.
Feathers : 2 layers - top
layer lies flat & overlaps to stop wind & water. Bottom
layer 'downy' for warmth. Swimming Speed : up to
25mph
Agile in water. Feet : Webbed, serve as
rudder.
Claws at end for climbing. Insulation : 80% due to
feathers
20% due to blubber Mouth / Tongue : Backward-pointing
spines hold in fish.
Photo above, below and top center, courtesy of the I.W. County
Press.
