Physical Description

Source and Additional Information

Animal Diversity Web
 
Caleb Wong
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Magellanic Penguins are medium sized penguins. Their average length is 70 cm (27.5 in) and weight ranges from 3.8 kg-6.5 kg (8.25 lb-14.25 lb). Males and females are similar in appearance, but males are usually larger. Physically, they have a fairly large head with a short neck. Tails are short and wedge shaped, and wings are long and narrow with a fused wrist joint which allows for strength and rigidity in the water but sacrifices the folding of wings that other birds are capable of. Webbed feet are set far back in the body, which gives them an upright stance when standing on land. Like most penguins, they exhibit counter shading - i.e. a dark brown or black colored dorsal side (back) and a silvery white collored ventral side (belly). This is both for camouflage for hunting its prey as well as a defense from the Magellanic Penguins' predators. Most Magellanic Penguins have a white band on both sides of the head, which begins at the eye and joins at the neck, and another white band, which joins below the throat, and runs down the side of the body. (Lynch, 1997; William, 1995)