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Description:
African penguins are a smaller penguin species, standing about 18 inches tall and averaging 7 pounds. Males are slightly larger with heavier bills than females. Like all penguin species, they are a marine diving bird with strong, flipper-like wings, heavy, solid bones, webbed feet (black in this case) and dense, overlapping feathers. African penguins are a banded species with a horseshoe-shaped, white band of feathers around the sides of their head and chin and a black band across their chest. Juveniles have gray-blue feathers that darken to black within three years.
Latin Name
Spheniscus demersusClass
BirdsOrder
SphenisciformesRange
The only penguin species that breeds on the African continent, African penguins inhabit a coastal range from South Africa to Namibia. They live in large colonies on offshore islands and at three protected beach sites—two in South Africa, one in Namibia.Status
Endangered. Competition from commercial fishing and oil spills are the primary, human-caused factors threatening their survival. In past decades, egg collection and removal of guano (used for nest burrows) also contributed to the population’s decline.Habitat
African penguins breed and nest in burrows, rock crevices and under shrubs on rocky and sandy shoreline.
Niche
African penguins prey on anchovies, sardines and other small, shoaling fish supplied by the Benguela Current, a cold, nutrient-rich ocean current that follows their native southwest coast of Africa. They also feed on squid and crustaceans. Commercial fishing, however, has diminished their prey population and threatened their survival.Life History
Adults don’t all breed at the same time, so colonies include eggs and chicks at various stages of development. Mating penguins often remain together for years. Females lay two eggs on average. The incubation period is about 40 days, with the male and female participating equally in the incubation duties. Adults guard chicks until they are about 30 days old, after which both parents can forage at sea simultaneously. Chicks that are left alone often form creches to defend against attacks from adults and other predator species. Chicks fledge from 60 to 130 days of age. Juveniles leave their natal colonies for 12 to 22 months, then return to molt into adult plumage.Special Adaptations
Strong, flipper-like wings propel African penguins forward in the water while webbed feet and tails act as rudders and help steer. Dense bones help penguins use less energy when diving for prey. Tongues and palates are covered with stiff spines that point backward to grip prey and move it along. African penguins use their black-and-white plumage, called “countershading,” as camouflage when hunting fish or evading predators. Dark feathers on their backs are difficult to see underwater from above; pale front sides blend in with the lighter surface of the sea when viewed from below. African penguins have patches of exposed skin near their eyes. Blood cools as it circulates through this area. On hot days, more blood circulates and the patch becomes pinker. They also have special muscles that push their feathers outward, releasing trapped heat.
Mating. Meals. Molting! Get the scoop on what’s among our African penguin colony with our new blog series, “All My Penguins.” Dive in and learn who’s who, then meet a penguin in person with a Malott Family Penguin Encounter! (Penguin Encounters have ended for 2017 and will return in spring 2018!)
Learn more about a Penguin Encounter
Download the Printer-friendly African Penguin ID Sheet (PDF 1.7 MB)
Penguin Encounter
Experience the zoo from the inside with penguins waddling right at your feet! Get a personal introduction to some of the African penguins living at Pritzker Penguin Cove, and find out what their daily lives are like both at the zoo and on the southern African coast.
Click here to learn more
Suited for Swimming
African penguins flourish along the temperate southern coastline of the African continent thanks to special adaptations suited to a life at sea.
Flying Underwater
African penguins may be flightless above ground, but they “fly” up to 12 miles per hour underwater. Strong, flipper-like wings with fused bone structures propel their torpedo-shaped bodies forward while large, webbed feet and tails act as rudders and help steer.
Built-In Insulation
Penguins have an extremely high feather density. Short, lance-shaped and overlapping like roof shingles, feathers provide superb insulation in water and on land. Penguins waterproof them by using their beaks to apply an oily substance secreted from a gland at the base of their tail.
Dual-Purpose Camouflage
African penguins use their black-and-white plumage, called “countershading,” as camouflage when hunting fish or evading predators such as great white sharks and fur seals. Dark feathers on their backs are difficult to see underwater from above; pale front sides blend in with the lighter surface of the sea when viewed from below.
Deadly Divers
Bones denser and heavier than those of other birds help penguins use less energy when diving deep for fish, crustaceans or squid. They swallow prey underwater, using a tongue and palate covered with stiff spines that point backward to grip prey and move it along.
Beating the Heat
Unlike their Antarctic relatives, African penguins can overheat in their warmer, temperate climate. One way to cool down is to simply dive into the ocean. But African penguins also have bare patches of skin on their faces where blood circulates to dissipate heat. Additionally, they have special muscles that push their feathers outward, releasing trapped heat.
Current Affairs
African penguins have a more varied diet than penguins in more southern latitudes that mainly feed on krill, a shrimp-like crustacean. The Benguela Current—a cold, nutrient-rich ocean current that follows their native southwest coast of Africa—supports a rich ecosystem of marine life, including dense schools of anchovies, pilchards and sardines that African penguins prey on. They supplement this primary food source with crustaceans and the occasional squid. This food supply, however, has been diminished by commercial fishing—a human activity that threatens the species’ survival. This slideshow features some of the fish fed to the zoo’s African penguins.
From the Tropics to Antarctica
There are 17 species of penguins, but only two of them—the emperor and Adélie—spend their lives on ice. Penguins evolved in temperate climate zones, and today most species still inhabit ranges more temperate than polar. From banded to brush-tailed to crested, little to large, they are spread throughout the Southern Hemisphere from the tropical Galapagos Islands to Antarctica’s frigid Ross Sea.
True or False
The Answer Is
False
Next Question >
Penguins are also found in South America, Africa, New Zealand and Australia and on many islands surrounding Antarctica. Only two of the world’s 17 penguin species—king penguins and Adèlie penguins—spend their entire lives on the Antarctic continent.
The Answer Is
True
Next Question >
African penguins are the only penguin species that breeds in Africa. They inhabit more than 20 islands and three mainland beach sites along the southwestern coast of Africa in Namibia and South Africa.
The Answer Is
False
Next Question >
Both male and female parents help incubate eggs. They both have a bare patch of skin, called a brood patch, which transfers their body heat more efficiently to the eggs as they incubate.
The Answer Is
True
Next Question >
They gather in groups called colonies that can include thousands of breeding pairs. Pairs are monogamous, often for many years, and return to the same nest site each year to build nests in burrows made from rock, sand or vegetation.
The Answer Is
True
Next Question >
Penguins use their bills to spread an oily substance, secreted by a gland near the base of the tail, all over their bodies. They preen themselves and each other to help maintain this waterproof layer.
The Answer Is
True
Next Question >
African penguins are commonly called jackass penguins for the loud, donkey-like calls individuals use to communicate. “Yells” are used to defend territory. “Brays” are used between mating partners or to attract a mate. “Haws” are used by mating partners separated between sea and land.
The Answer Is
True
Next Question >
African penguins use their black-and-white plumage as camouflage when hunting fish or evading predators. Dark feathers on their backs are difficult to see underwater from above. Pale front sides blend in with the lighter surface of the sea when viewed from below.
The Answer Is
False
Conclusion >
The population of the African penguin has declined to the point where the species is considered endangered in the wild.
Conclusion
The Association for Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has named the African Penguin one of their SAFE species. AZA zoos are working with conservation partners in South Africa to develop an African Penguin Biodiversity Management Plan. This initiative aims to support African penguin recovery by monitoring migration patterns, designing artificial nests, preventing disease outbreaks and more.
Explore the Exhibit
The Robert and Mayari Pritzker Penguin Cove reflects African penguins’ native home, from burrow-like nest boxes to coastal waters. Check out the exhibit highlights that make our penguins feel right at home.
360 View of Robert and Mayari Pritzker Penguin Cove
What do the penguins see from the heart of their exhibit? Pretend you’re a penguin—drag the screen to get the African penguin point of view!
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2001 North Clark Street • Chicago, IL 60614 • 312-742-2000
