Kingdom : Animalia Class : Aves Family : Spheniscidae Scientific Name : Spheniscus Magellanicus Size(L) : 61cm - 76cm (24in - 30in) Weight : 2.7kg - 6.5kg (5.9lbs - 14lbs) Top Speed : 35km/h (22mph) Life Span : 15 - 20 years Colour : Grey, Black, White, Brown Skin Type : Feathers Distinctive Features : Black beak and small wings
- Magellanic Penguins are small-medium sized penguins found in parts of coastal South America.
- They are closely related to the African Penguins, Humboldt penguins and the Galapagos Penguin.
- They inhabit the rocky islands and are quite numerous as a species.
- They breed off the coast of Argentina and Chile and also on the Falkland Islands.
- They spend most of their time hunting in the oceans and nest on the beaches in large colonies.
- They grow to an average size of around 76cm and have a distinctive dark, broad band running across the top of their chest.
- They are sociable animals known to breed and hunt in large colonies.
- They are carnivores, feeding on cuttlefish, squids, krill and fish.
- Their natural predators are leopard seals, fur seals, sharks and killer whales.
- The female Magellanic penguins lay two eggs which are incubated by both the parents.
- The chicks hatch out and are looked after by both the parents for the first month, till the chicks can fend for themselves.
- Though populous, they are a threatened species, with the changes in their natural environment being their biggest threat.