From Opus

Photo by Peter Bono
Location: Seno Otway Colony near Punta Arenas, Chile.

Spheniscus magellanicus

[edit] Identification

70cm. Black-grey above and white below. Head black with broad white band from bill-base, black throat. Narrow black horseshoe band on breast extending down flanks to thigh area. Bill black with grey band and narrow fleshy margin at base, feet black.

[edit] Distribution

Photo by Gary Clark
Location: Gypsy Cove, near Stanley, Falkland Islands

Chile and Falkland Islands.

[edit] Taxonomy

Monotypic.

[edit] Habitat

Grassy islands, woodlands, sandhills and coastal bluffs.

[edit] Status

Classified as Near Threatened in the 2008 IUCN Red List (BirdLife International, 2008).

[edit] Behaviour

Nests in burrows in guano or sand, holes among rocks. The nest is lined with leaves, feathers and small stones. 1-2, chalky-white eggs are laid and are incubated by both sexes and young tended by both sexes.

Diet includes small fish, particularly pilchards and anchovies, also cuttlefish and squid.

[edit] References

BirdLife International (2008) Species factsheet: Spheniscus magellanicus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 24/6/2008.

[edit] External Links