Spheniscus humboldti
Humboldt Penguin
The Humboldt Penguin is characterised by its black back and white front, with a distinctive black band across the chest. Its face, bill, and feet have pink patches of bare skin that help regulate body temperature. The penguin's body is streamlined for efficient swimming.
Juveniles resemble adults but have greyer plumage and lack the defined chest band. There is no significant difference between male and female appearances, making visual sex determination challenging.
Length
65cm to 70cm
Wingspan
75cm to 85cm
Weight
3.4kg to 4.5kg
Males and females have similar plumage
Primary Colour
Black White
Secondary Colour
Pink
Beak Colour
Black
Leg Colour
Pink Black
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
Humboldt Penguins inhabit the coastal areas of Peru and Chile along the cold Humboldt Current. They prefer rocky shores and offshore islands with caves and crevices for nesting. These penguins are also found on some beaches with suitable breeding conditions.
While their range is limited to South America, some Humboldt Penguins can be seen in zoos and aquariums worldwide as part of conservation and education programs.
Sea level to 80 meters
Temperate, Subtropical
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Humboldt Penguins primarily feed on small schooling fish such as anchovies, sardines, and herring. They also consume squid and crustaceans.
These penguins are pursuit divers, chasing prey underwater and catching it with their sharp, hook-tipped beaks. They can dive up to 150 meters deep in search of food.
Humboldt Penguins are social birds, often seen in large colonies. They are excellent swimmers, using their wings as flippers to 'fly' underwater at speeds up to 30 km/h. On land, they waddle upright or slide on their bellies.
These penguins are known for their head-swinging displays during courtship and territorial disputes.
Humboldt Penguins produce a variety of vocalisations. Their most common call is a loud, braying sound, often described as a donkey-like 'haw-he, haw-he'.
During courtship, they use softer, more melodious calls. Chicks emit high-pitched peeping sounds to beg for food from their parents.
Humboldt Penguins form monogamous pairs and breed year-round, with peak activity between March and December. Courtship involves vocalisations, head-swinging displays, and mutual preening.
Nests are built in burrows, caves, or crevices in rocky areas lined with guano and feathers. Females typically lay two eggs per clutch. The eggs are white and slightly larger than chicken eggs.
Both parents take turns incubating the eggs for about 40-42 days. Chicks are cared for by both parents for about 10 weeks before fledging. They reach sexual maturity at around 2-3 years of age.
years
The Humboldt Penguin typically lives for 15 to 20 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of 30 years.
Like all birds, lifespan can be affected by factors including predation, habitat quality, disease, and access to food sources.
Humboldt Penguins face threats from overfishing, which reduces their food supply, and entanglement in fishing nets. Climate change and El Niño events disrupt their breeding patterns.
Conservation efforts focus on protecting breeding sites, regulating fisheries, and establishing marine protected areas to safeguard their habitat and food sources.
Peruvian Penguin, Patranca
Main predators include sea lions, sharks, and orcas in the water, while on land, they face threats from foxes, dogs, and birds of prey targeting eggs and chicks.
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website: BirdLife International. 2020. Spheniscus humboldti. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T22697817A182714418.
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