humboldt penguin facts
Humboldt Penguin Facts
This section on Humboldt penguin facts gives the reader some valuable information on this magnificent bird. So let's learn a little more about Humboldt penguins...
- The scientific name of the Humboldt penguin is Spheniscus humboldti and it is also known as Peruvian penguin. This penguin can only be seen in South America and it is mainly seen in coastal areas of Peru and Chile.
- Humboldt penguins stand at least 22 to 26 inches tall and weigh around 19 lb. The life span of Humboldt penguin in the wild is 15 years while in captivity the penguin can live for almost 30 years.
- The physical appearance of a Humboldt penguin is very similar to the Magellanic penguin and it becomes really difficult to distinguish between both of them. From the front, Magellanic penguins have two neck bands while Humboldts have just one. Adult Humboldts have a white front and a black-brown back and head.
- Other than brown, black and white, Humboldt penguins also showcase another color; pink. These penguins have pink patches on their face, feet and on the underside of their wings. These pink patches play a very important role in keeping the body temperature cool during warm temperatures.
- Their diet consists of small fish such as anchovies and sardines. To make hunting easy, they prefer hunting in small groups. Humboldts circle around their prey and the attack from all sides.
- There is no set time for mating for Humboldt penguins. They can start mating any time of the year. It all depends on the availability of the food, more the food the more they will engage in it.
- Humboldt penguins reach sexual maturity between 2 to 7 years of age. They make nests or burrows in caves, in cracks of big rocks, or sometimes in open spaces. A female Humboldt penguin can lay 1, 2 or 3 eggs with both parents taking turns for incubation of eggs for 40 days.
- Once the offspring is born, both parents take turns and go hunting. After about 75 days, both the parents leave the baby Humboldt alone and look for food together. If the food is scarce, only the eldest offspring is fed while the younger one dies of starvation.
- Like every other species, Humboldt penguins have excellent eyesight on land and under water. With the help of their wings, these penguins can swim as fast as 20 miles per hour.
- While being on land or under water, they have to be careful from predators like sea-lions, sharks, foxes, vultures, snakes, leopard seals, killer whales, cats and dogs.
- Like humans, even penguins can't tolerate excess salt in their water and to ensure that excess salt doesn't enter their system, they use a gland in their body which helps them to drink salt water with ease. The excess salt is then thrown out of the body.
- The current status of Humboldt penguin is threatened due to the rise in fishing activities. In addition to fishing, hundreds of penguins are killed every year when they get entangled in fishing nets and due to ocean pollution.