Breeding/Mating
Chicks/Eggs
True or False
Characteristics
Details
100
When does the breeding cycle normally start?
The breeding cycle normally starts in Autumn, (Around April) when the sea ice reforms and gets thick enough to support the thousand of penguins. www.antartica.gov.au
100
How long do Emperor penguins incubate their eggs?
The larger the egg, the longer a penguin has to sit on it, but usually it lasts between 32 to 68 days. Male Emperor penguins have to sit on it for more than 2 months before the egg hatches and the female returns. During that time the penguin may have lost up to 40% of their body weight.
100
True or False: Penguins are birds that cannot fly.
True- Long ago, ancestors of penguins were birds that could fly.However, they evolved to become amazing swimmers, & in the process lost the ability to fly. All flying birds have hollow bones, put penguins do not. They want to keep it's weight high, to be successful divers, so they have solid bones. Their wings are also replaced with flippers. Although penguins can't fly because of their bones and flippers, they are excellent swimmers that can dive to depths up to 300m and remain down for up to 20 minutes. While they cannot fly in the air, they do seem to fly through the water.
100
What do penguins have in order to stay warm?
"Just like whales, penguins have a layer of fat under their skin called "blubber". Overtop of this they are covered with fluffy "down" feathers and overtop of those they have their outer feathers which overlap to seal in warmth". www.kidzone.ws
100
What is a penguin's usual diet?
Penguins eat krill, fish, squid, and crustaceans. They catch prey with their bills and swallow it whole while swimming. Some prefer small krill and others eat large ones. www.seaworld.org
200
When do most penguins mate?
It varies depending on the species, but most breed during spring & summer when it is warmer. www.defenders.org
200
How do the chicks get out of their egg?
Chicks first come out by poking a small hole in the egg with their beaks. They then chip the shell until they can push of the top. Chicks can take up 3 days to chip their way out. www.seaworld.org
200
True or False: Penguins can weigh up to 150 pounds.
False- The tallest and heaviest penguin species is the emperor penguins which weighs about 50 to 100 pounds. The smallest and lightest is the Little penguins (Blue penguin,Fairy penguin) which weighs up to 1kg or 2 pounds.
200
Why do penguins have to molt?
'Molting is essential because feathers wear out during the year. Feathers become worn when penguins rub against each other, come in contact with the ground and water, and regularly preen (clean, rearrange, and oil) their feathers. The new feather grows under the old one, pushing it out. The old feather does not fall out until the new one is completely in place' www.seaworld.org
200
Where can penguins be found?
They can be found in the Southern Hemisphere, in Antarctica, New Zealand, South America, Southern Africa, and the Galapagos Island. BrainPop- Penguins
300
How do penguins find their mates and chicks in crowded areas?
Each penguin has a distinct call, allowing them to find their mates and chicks. www.defenders.org
300
What are the smallest and largest penguin eggs?
The smallests are the Chinstrap and Adelie eggs, which are twice the size of a chicken egg. They are about 70mm long and 55mm wide and weigh about 120 grams. The largest is the Emperor eggs, which I'd approximately 120mm long and 85mm wide. It weighs about 450 pounds.
300
True or False: There a penguin species that lives in Africa.
True- The African penguin is abought 68cm. long, and weigh between 2.1 to 3.7kg. They are black above and white below, with a black chin and face patch separated from the crown by a broad white band. They have narrow black band across the chest and down the flanks towards it's legs. Their breeding range is Namibia and South Africa. The African penguin is the only penguin species that breeds in Africa,and is found nowhere else.
300
What is a brood patch? (pouch)
A brood patch is a featherless patch of skin under a loose flap, which occurs in all incubating birds. The brood patch contains numerous blood vessels that, when engorged with blood, transfer body heat to the eggs.
300
How are penguins camouflaged?
When the penguin is seen from above, their black backs blends in with the dark water, and when seen from below, it blends in with the sun lit sky. BrainPop- Penguins
400
What type of penguin has the longest breeding cycle?
The King penguin has the longest breeding cycle lasting 14 to 16 months. A female King penguin may produce a chick twice in every three breeding seasons www.seaworld.org
400
How do the adult penguins feed their chicks?
"The adult swallows the food and saves it for later, and changes it into a form that chicks can eat. There are 3 ways. 1.The adult penguin will partially digest the fish or other food inside their stomachs. This usually takes several hours. When the food has been digested enough, the penguin coughs the food back up and feeds it to the chick by pouring the mixture into the chick's beak. 2.Another way that penguins feed their chicks is through refrigeration. The adult penguin swallows the fish or other food whole, and secretes it inside their stomach where it can be held for several days before the penguin has to feed it to the chick. The food is actually kept at the body temperature of the penguin, and the penguin has special enzymes that keep the food from going bad. 3.Some breeds of penguins can completely digest their fish and krill before they feed it to their chicks. When this happens, a form of oil is made from all of the nutrients from the food. This process takes several days to occur. The penguin then gives that fish "milk" to its young". www.ehow.com
400
True of False: Penguins have tongues
True- Penguins have very specialized tongues that are rarely seen since they don't extend out of their beak. They are covered with little spiky spines that all point backward into their throught so that when a penguin catches a fish, it's gripped by the spines & can not escape.
400
What are penguin's legs for?
Penguins have very short legs, which are used under water for steering. On land it's not easy for a penguin to walk. Waddling seems to be the easiest way to walk with short legs. In addition, some species displace themselves by hopping over the ground. Although you don't see them, penguins do have knees and upper legs. They are completely enclosed within the penguin body. The upper leg is oriented horizontally. In contrast to other birds (whose feet are placed in the middle of their body) penguin feet are set all the way back, causing an upright stand.
400
How many pairs of Macaroni penguins are left in the world?
There are about 11,654,000 pairs of Macaroni penguins left in the world. However, the numbers continue to drop at an alarming rate. This is due to them having many predators. It is also due to their natural environment being affected negatively by human efforts. www.penguins-world.com
500
How old are penguins when they start breeding?
With some of the smaller species, breeding may begin at three to four years, but most larger species are not accomplished breeders until much later. On average, breeding does not begin until the fifth year, and a few males do not breed until the eighth year. www.seaworld.org
500
What is a group of baby penguins called?
A group of baby penguins (chicks) is called a "crèche". It is a French word meaning crib,but it also has the meaning of day nursery. The name was applied by French biologists in the early 1900's. www.penguinscience.com
500
True or False: Polar bears are the penguin's main predator.
False- Polar bears live in the Northern Hemisphere and penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere, so the two can never be found together in the wild. Some of penguin's real predators are leopard seals, sharks, sea lions, orcas, Australian sea eagles, skuas, killer whales, etc. www.adelie.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
500
How do penguins remove the salt water that gets into their eyes?
They have salt glands, which remove excess salt from their bodies. These organs are modified tear glands that discharge a concentrated solution of sodium chloride through the nostrils. Salt glands enable marine birds to drink seawater with no ill effects. These salt glands are located in the head of a seabird, above the eyes. www.pinguins.info
500
How long can a penguin stay underwater?
The larger species can hold their breath longer than the smaller ones. Emperors can dive up to depths of 1,800 feet deep and stay underwater for about 20 minutes, while the Little Blue penguins can dive up to 200 feet for about 1 minute. zoopenguins.org
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