African Penguin

[Amoli]

Great choice of bird and some lovely pics of the 'pink ones'..

I took some pics in PE of penguins, but for some reason I cannot find them
I think that was the only time I saw them.

[ExFmem]

Thanks for everyone's contributions Can't wait to see what else everyone digs up from their Archives

Flutterby, those two stories are so funny, especially the PINK ONE!

[ExFmem]

Communicating



African penguins communicate by means of vocalisation and displays. Vocalisation includes loud, donkey-like braying noises as well as barking and growling. Chicks can produce a whistling ‘peep’ to request food and a hissing sound.







Aggressive displays include an individual pointing its bill directly at another, pecking, bill-slapping and beating one another with flippers.

Comfort behaviours include preening of feathers and rubbing and scratching of the head.



Food
African penguins may forage on their own or in small groups. Their diet differs from region to region but their primary diet includes small pelagic fish such as pilchards, anchovies, horse mackerel and herring. African penguins may supplement their diet with squid and small crustaceans in areas where there is a decrease in fish abundance because of commercial fishing. African penguins usually forage at depths of <80 m and during breeding seasons, they may forage 20 to 40 km away from their colony. However, during the non-breeding season, the penguins can travel much further away from the colony. Foraging does not take place at night.

Breeding
African penguins are monogamous unless breeding has failed for some reason, then they will take another partner.




( I have NO idea if these are male and female couples… )

The penguins breed in colonies mostly on rocky shore islands and each breeding pair will return to the same breeding colony and same nesting site each year.



Previously, African penguins excavated their nests in layers of guano that existed on most islands, but after most guano deposits were depleted through commercial exploitation, African penguins were forced to use alternate nesting places. These include burrows in sandy soils, depressions under boulders or vegetation, crevices between rocks and in man-made nests.



The nest is lined up with various types of material that includes seaweed, rocks, shells, bones, vegetation pieces and feathers.

African penguins have an extended breeding season, which enables them to breed throughout the year. The peak of the breeding season in Namibia (November to December) tends to be earlier than the peak for South Africa (March to May).

[nan]

Boulder - 2.10.2009

[Lisbeth]

Comfort behaviours include preening of feathers and rubbing and scratching of the head.

[Toko]

Sometimes they are just lazy and hang around

[Toko]

[nan]

I post a second time this one......
please be carefull with my "pachmina"

[Toko]

It's en vogue this season

[Lisbeth]