- Pygoscelis papua
Identification
76–81 cm (29.9-31.9 in)
Recognised by large size and unique head pattern. Standing about 2.5 feet, the Gentoo is the third largest species of Penguin after Emperor and King. It is a member of the "brush-tailed" penguin group which have relatively long tails.
It is blue-black above, white below. Head is black with white bar over crown.
Bill is black and orange, legs orange.
Variations
Two races differ slightly in size as well as in bill and leg measurements.
Distribution
Photo © by Joseph Morlan
Saunders Island, Falkland Islands, 2 March 2018
Circumpolar in the subantarctic.
Breeds on the Antarctic Peninsula and Staten Island, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, the South Shetland, South Orkney and South Sandwich Islands, Prince Edward, Marion, Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard and Macquarie Islands.
Pelagic range not fully known but many remain close to breeding range, others wander northwards to about 43°S in South America.
Vagrants recorded in Tasmania and New Zealand and once in South Africa.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Photo © by JCL
Pleneau Island, Antarctic Peninsula, February 2008
Four subspecies are recognized[1] based both on genetic and size differences[9],[10]:
- P. p. taeniata: Intermediate in size between papua and ellsworthi, differs from poncetii by having smaller flippers
- subantarctic waters, breeding on Prince Edward, Marion, Crozet, Heard, and Macquarie Islands; population on Kerguelen Island tentatively placed here, but may be recognizably distinct
- P. p. papua: Largest and long billed.
- breeds on the Falkland Islands and, locally, in Tierra del Fuego
- P. p. ellsworthi: Smallest with smaller bills and flippers than other populations
- breeds in Antarctic waters on the Antarctic Peninsula, and the South Shetland, South Orkney, and South Sandwich Islands
- P. p. poncetii: Intermediate in size between papua and ellsworthi, differs from taeniata by having larger flippers
- subantarctic waters, breeding on South Georgia Island
Habitat
Breeds on remote flat or rocky islands, otherwise at sea but seen close to breeding sites throughout the year.
Behaviour
Breeding
Colonial breeder, August-March, nest is a bulky structure of vegetation or small stones. Two white eggs laid between late-September and mid-October, incubated by both sexes for 33 days. Young fed by both sexes.
Diet
Prey captured by pursuit diving. Their diet includes krill especially southern populations. Northern populations take more fish and different crustaceans.
Vocalisation
Highly vocal. Contact call, a short, low, trumpeting caw. Display call is a loud trumpeting ah, aha, aha, aha, e with head pointing upwards. Also gives a series of raaaarr notes interspersed with higher, more squeaky trumpet notes. A soft repeated hiss is associated with bowing display.
Movements
Partial migrant; subantarctic populations tend to be sedentary, while those of Antarctic Peninsula are migratory.
Conservation Status
Up through 2016, this species was considered "near threatened" by the IUCN because of steep declines at some colonies, particularly South Georgia. However recent data suggest populations are largely stable, leading to a reassessment of its status. It is now ranked as "least concern."
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Lepage D. (2020) Gentoo_Penguin in Avibase - The World Bird Database. Retrieved 26May 2020
- Martínez, I., D. A. Christie, F. Jutglar, E.F.J. Garcia, and C.J. Sharpe (2020). Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.genpen1.01
- Shirihai, H. 2008. Complete Guide to Antarctic Wildlife: Birds and Marine Mammals of the Antarctic Continent and the Southern Ocean. Princeton & Oxford: Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0691136660
- Howell, S. N. G., and Zufelt, K. (2019) Oceanic Birds of the World: A Photo Guide. Princeton Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0-691-17501-0
- Sinclair, I., P.A.R. Hockey, W. Tarboton (2002). Birds of South Africa. Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford. ISBN 0-691-09682-1
- BirdLife International. 2018. Pygoscelis papua. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22697755A132600694. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22697755A132600694.en. Downloaded on 26 May 2020.
- Newtoff, K. 2011. "Pygoscelis papua" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed 25 May 2020 at http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pygoscelis_papua/
- Birdforum thread discussing a paper on the taxonomy of Gentoo penguins
- The paper discussed in the previous reference
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Gentoo Penguin. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 21 December 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Gentoo_Penguin
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
