Alternative name: African Penguin
- Spheniscus demersus
Identification
60-70cm. Blackish-grey above and white below. Head and throat blackish with a white band from the bill-base over the eye to meet white of underparts on sides of neck. Broad, black horseshoe band on white underparts extending down flanks. Bill black with greyish bar and bare pink skin at bill-base extending to around eye, feet greyish-black.
Voice: Loud braying call uttered mostly at night.
Distribution
Coasts of southern Africa from the central coast of Namibia to Mozambique. Breeds on 25 islands and at four mainland sites along the South African and Namibian coastline.
Taxonomy
Monotypic.
Habitat
Dry sandy and rocky islands and returns to islands to roost.
Status
Classified as Vulnerable in the 2008 IUCN Red List (BirdLife International, 2008).
Behaviour
It builds its nest in guano or sand and 1-2 chalky white eggs are laid which are incubated by both parents for 38-41 days.
Diet includes small fish, particularly pilchards and anchovies, also squid and crustaceans.
References
BirdLife International (2008) Species factsheet: Spheniscus demersus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/6/2008.
External Links
Gansbaai Declaration on the plight of the African (Jackass) Penguin