What am I?
There are 17 different kinds of penguins in the world, and the Macaroni penguin is the largest of the ones called the crested penguins. I was named “Macaroni” by early English explorers because of the yellow crest feathers on my head. The feathers looked like the ones worn in the hats of young 18th century men called “macaroni’s”. You’ve probably heard about them in the song “Yankee Doodle”-
Where do I live?
We live in pairs (that means a male/boy and a female/girl), in the Antarctic and sub Antarctic regions, which are located at the bottom of the world. The surface, or ground, is mainly covered with snow and ice. The average annual temperature is -58º F in the winter. In the summer it reaches a nice warm -22º F. That’s a pretty cold winter day for humans.
What do I eat?
I eat some squid and fish, but mainly I eat krill. Krill is a shrimp-like little crustacean. I like to dive 50 feet to 200 feet down into the water, but I don’t stay down for any longer than 2 minutes at a time.
How long do I live?
I live to be about 15 to 20 years old. The females lay two eggs at a time, and the eggs hatch in about 4 to 5 weeks. The chicks will leave their mom and dad and head out on their own in eight weeks. We Macaroni’s, on average, are about 2 feet tall and weigh around 10 pounds. Among the different animals that prey on us are the sea lions and the killer whales.
The pink areas on the map show where Macaroni Penguins can be found.
Penguins Rock at the Tennessee Aquarium.
Here are 5 Qs -
five quick quiz questions! Use the > button next to your answer! Internet Explorer users click button twice.
What color is my face?