Spheniscus demersus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Black-footed Penguin

Species recognized by The Integrated Taxonomic Information System external link, T Orrell (custodian) in 
IUCN Red List Status: Vulnerable (VU) external link Showing: scientific names

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Spheniscus demersus (Linnaeus, 1758)

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Spheniscus demersus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Spheniscus demersus
Spheniscus demersus
Spheniscus demersus
Spheniscus demersus
Spheniscus demersus
Spheniscus demersus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Spheniscus demersus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Spheniscus demersus

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Table of Contents

Overview

Biology

Source and Additional Information
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ARKive external link
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Copyright Wildscreen 2003-2008. Some rights reserved external link
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African penguins are colonial breeders with pairs returning to the same site year after year. Unusually, there is no fixed breeding season although nesting peaks in Namibia between November and December and in South Africa between March and May. Nests are situated in burrows or depressions under boulders and bushes where they will receive some protection from the potentially harsh temperatures (5). The clutch size is usually two and both parents take it in turns to incubate the eggs for a period of about 40 days; penguins have a bare patch of skin on the lower abdomen (known as the 'brood patch'), which allows greater transfer of heat to the eggs. Following hatching, the adults will continue to guard the chicks until they are about 30 days old, regurgitating food straight from their stomach following foraging trips. Chicks are then left alone in crèches whilst their parents forage; at between 60 and 130 days old they develop juvenile plumage and leave the colony (5). These penguins feed on fish such as anchovies (Engraulis capensis) and sardines (Sardinops sagax) (2). Adapted for their aquatic lifestyle, African penguins can reach speeds of 20 kilometres per hour in the water and range from 30 to 70 kilometres in a single trip; average dives last for 2.5 minutes, reaching depths of 60 metres. Penguins have waterproof coats that need to be constantly maintained by preening, when a waxy substance is distributed from the base of the tail. Even with these measures, their plumage is replaced yearly and African penguins come ashore to moult over 20 days between November and January in South Africa and between April and May in Namibia (5).
Katja Schulz. Curator. "Spheniscus demersus (Linnaeus, 1758)". Encyclopedia of Life, available from "http://www.eol.org/pages/1049617". Accessed 20 Mar 2010.