- Pygoscelis adeliae
Identification
46 to 75 cm
- White belly
- Black head and back
- White eye ring
- Red bill, mostly covered by long white feathers
- The tail is a little longer than other penguins
Distribution
Circumpolar Antarctic seas to edge of ice pack.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Sea ice but needs the ice-free land to breed.
Behaviour
Diet
The diet includes krill, fish and squid.
Breeding
Their nests consist of stones piled together. 2 greenish white eggs are laid and are incubated by both parents in turn for 35 days.
The female returns to the sea first, often leaving the male to stand alone for up to ten days while she feeds.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Penguins around the World
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Adelie Penguin. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 6 February 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Adelie_Penguin
External Links