African Penguin - BirdForum Opus

Spheniscus demersus

Photo by Mark Bruce

Aka African Penguin.

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

Search for photos of African Penguin in the gallery

Gansbaai Declaration on the plight of the African (Jackass) Penguin