Kingdom : Animalia Class : Mammalia Family : Spheniscidae Scientific Name : Eudyptes Chrysolophus Size : 60 - 70cm (24 - 28in) Weight : 3.2 - 6.4kg (7 - 14lbs) Wing Span : 80 - 100cm (31 - 39in) Top Speed : 35km/h (22mph) Life Span : 15 - 20 years Colour : Black, White, Brown, Yellow Skin Type : Feathers Special Features : Large red beak and yellow feathers on head
- Macaroni Penguins are a large species of crested penguins found in the sub-Antarctic regions.
- They are very closely related to the royal penguins and are one of the 6 species of crested penguins.
- They spend the winters in the ocean and go on to the land in summer to breed.
- There are around 18 million individuals and they are the most populous breed of penguins on earth.
- Distinctively, they have yellow colored feathers on their head and a red colored beak.
- They grow to an average height of 70cm and are weigh between 3.2-6.4 kg
- Macaron penguins spend around six months hunting and feeding in the ocean during the winters.
- The feed on krill, fish, squid and crustaceans.
- Their natural predators are the leopard seals, killer whales and the odd shark.
- The breed during the summers and that is when they return to land.
- They gather in large colonies comprising around 1,00,000 individuals.
- The female Macaroni Penguin lays around two eggs and both the parents take turns to incubate the eggs.
- The chicks hatch out after around 6 weeks and are raised by both the parents for the initial few months.