Pygoscelis adeliae
Adélie Penguin
Adélie Penguins are distinctive medium-sized penguins with a classic tuxedo-like appearance. They have a black head, back, and wings contrasting sharply with a white chest and belly. Their most striking feature is the white ring around each eye.
Both males and females look alike, with no seasonal plumage changes. Juveniles are similar but have a blue-grey throat and chin instead of the adults' black colouration.
Length
70cm to 71cm
Wingspan
75cm to 80cm
Weight
3kg to 6kg
Males and females have similar plumage
Primary Colour
Black White
Beak Colour
Red Black
Leg Colour
Pink
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
Adélie Penguins are found along the Antarctic coastline and nearby islands, including the Antarctic Peninsula, Ross Sea, and East Antarctica. They inhabit areas with accessible open water and rocky, ice-free terrain for nesting.
During winter, they disperse northward to the pack ice zone surrounding Antarctica, following the extent of sea ice. They are rarely seen in waters north of the Antarctic Convergence.
Sea level to 300 meters
Antarctic, Subantarctic
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Adélie Penguins primarily feed on krill, small fish, and occasionally squid. They are pursuit divers, catching prey during underwater 'flights' that can last up to 180 seconds.
Their diet varies seasonally, with a higher proportion of fish consumed during chick-rearing periods.
Adélie Penguins are highly social birds, forming large colonies during breeding season. They are excellent swimmers, using their flippers to 'fly' underwater at speeds up to 8 km/h.
On land, they waddle upright or toboggan on their bellies across the ice, using their flippers for balance and propulsion.
Adélie Penguins are known for their loud, raucous calls. Their vocalisations include a variety of squawks, growls, and trumpeting sounds.
During courtship, males produce a distinctive 'ecstatic display call,' which sounds like a series of loud, rhythmic squawks: 'aah-aah-aah-AAAH-aah.'
Adélie Penguins form monogamous pairs and breed during the austral summer. They return to the same nesting sites each year, often reuniting with previous mates. Courtship involves mutual bowing and stone presentations.
Nests are simple depressions in rocky ground, lined with small stones. Females typically lay two eggs, which are pale green to white in colour. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs.
Incubation lasts about 32-34 days. Chicks fledge at 7-9 weeks old, forming crèches while parents forage. They become independent at about 50-60 days old.
years
The Adélie Penguin typically lives for 10 to 20 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 25 years.
Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.
Although listed as Least Concern, they face threats due to climate change impacting their habitat and food sources. Warming temperatures are causing shifts in sea ice patterns, affecting their breeding and foraging grounds.
Conservation efforts focus on protecting their breeding sites and monitoring population trends.
Black-throated Penguin
Main predators include leopard seals, killer whales, and skuas, which primarily target eggs and chicks.
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website: BirdLife International. 2020. Pygoscelis adeliae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T22697758A157660553.
View sourcereport: Woehler 1993, Woehler and Croxall 1997, Lynch and La Rue 2014