The golden-haired penguin is rightfully considered one of the most attractive representatives of its family. Its extraordinary appearance has long attracted the attention of researchers and naturalists, prompting them to ask the only question: "What led to such a mutation?" Alas, there is no reliable answer yet. But long observations made it possible to find other, no less fascinating, information.
Golden Penguin: Description of the species
This bird was first described by German naturalist Johann Friedrich von Brandt in 1837. Then the golden-haired and crested penguin was reckoned with the same species, called Eudyptes. This was later corrected, as other findings were made, allowing to see the whole picture.
Today, the golden-haired penguin is classified as a separate species. According to genetic research, his closest relative is the king penguin. The first mutation that separated these birds occurred approximately 1.5 million years ago. After that, both species went their own way, due to which their appearance has changed greatly.
Area
The golden-haired penguin lives almost throughout the Antarctic. Islands are considered to be his favorite place, located in the subantarctic belt. The exception is large snowy plains that restrict access to water.
The most numerous colonies were seen on the Falkland and Orkney Islands, southern Chile, as well as the Antarctic Peninsula. Scientists also have reliable evidence that a golden-haired penguin settles in southern Australia, New Zealand, Africa and even Brazil. Although here their colonies are very primitive.
If we talk about the habitat itself, then the golden-haired penguins usually settle on snowy or rocky shores. At the same time, preference is given to the latter, since among them you can easily hide from natural enemies.
Appearance
The golden-haired penguin is a rather large bird. On average, it grows up to 70 cm in height, while males are slightly larger than females. It is curious that the weight of the penguin varies depending on the time of year. Before the breeding season, birds lose weight - at this time they weigh a little more than 3 kg. As the chick grows older, penguins again begin to stock up on fat. Thus, before the start of molting, they weigh about 6 kg, which is twice as much as their initial value.
In the old days, this species was not in vain called the "crested penguin." The reason for this is a yellow crest, located just above the eyes of the animal. It is he who is the calling card that distinguishes the golden-haired penguin from other representatives of this family. The beak of the bird is no less bright: large, orange-brown, slightly bent down like a claw.
Otherwise, the golden-haired penguin is a typical representative of a kind. Most of the body is painted black or dark blue. The abdomen and the front of the neck are white. The legs and skin under the wings are light pink, sometimes orange.
Habitat and habits
Golden-haired penguins live in large colonies. Scientists estimate that one such "family" can combine about 1-2 million birds. Because of this, animals are forced to stray into large groups in order to fit on land. High density leads to the fact that the colony starts to emit an unpleasant smell of rotten fish and droppings, which can be smell long before they are visually detected.
Moreover, such close coexistence has led to the fact that the golden-haired penguins have developed an extensive language of gestures and screams. He helps them in all areas of social relationships. For example, during mating games, the male invites representatives of the opposite sex to himself with a special song. And if he sees among them an attractive female, he will immediately begin to bow before her, as if performing some mysterious rite.
Diet
Penguin is a bird of prey. Unable to fly, she leads her hunt under water. At the same time, she does it very skillfully. An adult penguin is able to dive to a depth of 70 meters, holding his breath under water for up to 2-3 minutes. Before diving, the birds swallow small pebbles, which significantly increase their weight, thereby fulfilling the role of a certain ballast.
The prey of a golden-haired penguin can be small fish, squid and crustaceans. However, when it comes time to feed the baby, they switch to plankton and small mollusks. This is due to the fact that the chicks do not digest large food, and therefore need special "baby" nutrition.
