Chinstrap penguins — named for the narrow black band under their heads. They easily recognizable by the narrow band of black feathers which extends from ear to ear, just below the chin and the cheeks.
Chinstrap penguins are very social. During breeding season, they gather in enormous colonies on shore. They also have many noted forms of communication, including flipper and head waving, bowing, preening, and gesturing. If arguments arise over nesting space, showdowns may include pointing, staring, and even charging if the situation gets really heated.
Fun Facts About Chinstrap Penguins (Pygoscelis antarctica))
1. These birds are referred to as “stonebreaker penguins,” not because they collect stones for nests, but because their screech is so piercing that it is said to break stones.
2. Outside of the breeding season, chinstrap penguins often congregate on icebergs.
3. The largest chinstrap penguin colony is on Zavodovski Island in the South Sandwich Islands, with approximately two million chinstraps breeding on the slopes of the volcanic island.
4. Chinstrap penguins can lose half their weight during the breeding season, since they take turns staying with the eggs and chicks for days at a time while the other parent goes off to hunt.
5. Pygoscelis means “rump-legged.”
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