Chinstrap penguin: Difference between revisions

{{other uses of|Chinstrap (disambiguation)}}

| status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |urlauthor=https://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22697761/0BirdLife International |date=2020 |title=''Pygoscelis antarcticus'' |authorvolume=BirdLife International2020 |author-linkpage=BirdLife Internationale.T22697761A184807209 |yeardoi=201210.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T22697761A184807209.en |access-date=2612 November 2013|ref=harv2021}}</ref>

| synonyms =

The '''chinstrap penguin''' ('''''Pygoscelis antarcticus''''') is a species of [[penguin]] that inhabits a variety of islands and shores in the Southern Pacific and the Antarctic Oceans. Its name stems from the narrow black band under its head, which makes it appear as if it were wearing a black helmet, making it easy to identify.<ref name="nationalgeographic">{{cite news |title=Chinstrap Penguin Facts |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/c/chinstrap-penguin/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218141819/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/c/chinstrap-penguin/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 18, 2019 |access-date=17 February 2019 |work=[[National Geographic]]}}</ref> Other common names include '''ringed penguin''', '''bearded penguin''', and '''stonecracker penguin''', due to its loud, harsh call.<ref name="ultimate">{{cite book |last1=De Roy |first1=Tui |last2=Jones |first2=Mark |last3=Cornthwaite |first3=Julie |title=Penguins: The Ultimate Guide |dateyear=August 24, 2014 |publisher=[[Princeton University Press]] |isbn=978-0691162997 |pages=206–207 |edition=reprint |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=489wCQAAQBAJ |access-date=17 February 2019}}</ref>

The chinstrap penguin grows to a length of {{convert|68|–|76|cm|in|abbr=on}} and a weight of {{convert|3.2|–|5.3|kg|lb|abbr=on}}, with the weight varying with the time of year.<ref name="ultimate"/> Males are [[sexual dimorphism|greater in weight and height than females]].<ref name="antarctica">{{cite web |title=Chinstrap penguins |url=http://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/wildlife/animals/penguins/chinstrap-penguins |website=Australian Antarctic Division |access-date=18 February 2019}}</ref>

Chinstrap penguins have a circumpolar distribution. They breed in [[Antarctica]], [[Argentina]], [[Bouvet Island]], [[Chile]], the [[Falkland Islands]], the [[French Southern Territories]], and [[South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands]]. Vagrant individuals have been found in New Zealand, the islands of Saint Helena and Tristan da Cunha, and South Africa.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" />

The diet of the chinstrap penguin consists of small [[fish]], [[krill]], [[shrimp]], and [[squid]], for which they swim up to {{convert|80|km|mi|abbr=on}} offshore each day to obtain. The chinstrap penguin's tightly packed feathers provide a waterproof coat, enabling it to swim in freezing waters. Additionally, thick [[blubber]] deposits and intricate [[blood vessel]]s in the flippers and legs assist in the preservation of heat.<ref name="LPZChinstrapPenguin">{{cite web |url=http://www.lpzoo.org/animals/factsheet/chinstrap-penguin |publisher=Lincoln Park Zoo |title=Chinstrap Penguin Fact Sheet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322204906/http://www.lpzoo.org/animal/chinstrap-penguin |archive-date=2016-03-22 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

The main predator of the chinstrap penguin at sea is the [[leopard seal]] (''Hydrurga leptonyx''). Every year, the leopard seal causes the chinstraps population to decrease by about 5% to 20%. On land, the [[brown skua]] (''Stercorarius antarcticus''), [[south polar skua]] (''Stercorarius maccormicki''), and [[southern giant petrel]] (''Macronectes giganteus'') are the primary predators of the penguin. These three species most often prey on eggs and young chinstrap penguins. The [[Antarctic fur seal]] is also known to occasionally kill chinstrap penguins.<ref name="natural">{{cite book |last1=Borboroglu |first1=Pablo Garcia |last2=Boersma |first2=P. D. |title=Penguins: Natural History and Conservation |dateyear=October 5, 2015 |publisher=[[University of Washington Press]] |isbn=978-0295999067 |pages=52–72 |edition=reprint |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aX-0CgAAQBAJ |access-date=18 February 2019}}</ref>

On land, they build circular nests from stones, and lay two eggs, which are incubated by both the male and the female for shifts around 6 days each. The chicks hatch after around 37 days, and have fluffy grey backs and white fronts. The chicks stay in the nest for 20&ndash;3020–30 days before they go to join other chicks in a [[Crèche (zoology)|crèche]]. Around 50&ndash;6050–60 days old, they moult, gaining their adult feathers and go to sea.<ref name="newzealand" />

In 2004, two male chinstrap penguins named [[Roy and Silo]] in [[Central Park Zoo]], [[New York City]], formed a [[pair bond]] and took turns trying to "hatch" a rock, for which a keeper eventually substituted a fertile egg, and the pair subsequently hatched and raised the chick.<ref>{{cite news|last=Driscoll|first=Emily V.|title=Bisexual Species: Unorthodox Sex in the Animal Kingdom|url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=bisexual-species&sc=rss|access-date=22 April 2012|newspaper=Scientific American|date=10 July 2008}}</ref> Penguins by nature hatch eggs and are social creatures. The children's book ''[[And Tango Makes Three]]'' was written based on this event.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1799196,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060103180449/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-1799196,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 3, 2006 |title=Gay icon causes a flap by picking up a female |publisher=Times Online |first=James |last=Bone |date=27 September 2005 |access-date=31 March 2009}}</ref>

TheIn global2018, populationthe ofIUCN theestimated chinstrapthat penguinsthe ispopulation estimatedof tochinstrap bepenguins atwas leastaround eight8 million specimens. Although it is believed to be decreasing overall, its population is not severely fragmented and in many sites it is increasing or stable. The species is classified as [[least concern]] on the [[IUCN Red List]] as of 2016, due to its large range and population, following five previous assessments of the same status from 2004 to 2012 and three assessments as "unknown" from 1988 to 2000.<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021" />

The chinstrap penguin is primarily threatened by [[climate change]]. In several parts of its range, climate change decreases the abundance of krill, which likely makes reproduction less successful. For instance, a 2019 expedition to breeding grounds on [[Elephant Island]] show a fifty percent population decline in just under fifty years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.audubon.org/news/antarcticas-most-numerous-penguin-has-suffered-huge-declines-expedition-finds|title=Antarctica's Most Numerous Penguin Has Suffered Huge Declines, Expedition Finds|last=Stryker|first=Noah|date=2020-02-10|website=Audubon|language=en|access-date=2020-02-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-11/number-of-chinstrap-penguins-in-antarctica-has-fallen-sharply/11955300|title=Chinstrap penguin colonies in Antarctica suffer '77pc decline since last survey'|date=2020-02-11|website=ABC News|language=en-AU|access-date=2020-03-01}}</ref> Other potential threats include volcanic events<ref>{{Cite andweb the|last=Liversage fishing|first=Sian of|date=June krill27, by2020 humans.|title=Chinstrap SeveralPenguins: conservationRisking actionsTheir areLives takingon placeZavodovski forIsland this species|url=https://www. Multiple areas where it penguinsinternational.org/2020/06/27/chinstrap-penguins-risking-their-lives-on-zavodovski-island/}}</ref> are being monitored for long periods. Conservation actions proposed forand the future include more monitoring and researchingfishing of itskrill population,by range, and behaviorhumans.<ref>{{Cite Itjournal is|last1=Strycker listed|first1=Noah as|last2=Wethington a|first2=Michael species|last3=Borowicz of|first3=Alex [[least|last4=Forrest concern]]|first4=Steve on|last5=Witharana the|first5=Chandi [[IUCN|last6=Hart Red|first6=Tom List]]|last7=Lynch as|first7=Heather ofJ. 2016,|date=2020-11-10 due|title=A to its large range andglobal population, following five previous assessmentsassessment of the sameChinstrap statuspenguin from(Pygoscelis 2004antarctica) to|journal=Scientific 2012Reports and|language=en three|volume=10 assessments|issue=1 as|pages=19474 "unknown"|doi=10.1038/s41598-020-76479-3 from|issn=2045-2322 1988|pmc=7655846 to 2000|pmid=33173126|bibcode=2020NatSR.<ref.1019474S name="iucn"}}</ref>

[[Category:PenguinsPygoscelis|chinstrapChinstrap penguin]]