Humboldt Penguin
Spheniscus humboldti
Uncommon and local; breeds in colonies along the coast of Peru and Chile, where it nests in underground burrows. The only penguin in most of its range, but some overlap in central Chile with similar Magellanic Penguin of colder southern waters. Adult Humboldt is distinguished by a big pink patch at the base of the bill and a single black breast band. Immature Humboldt is very similar to Magellanic Penguin and is not always safely identified in the field, but immature usually shows big pink bill base recalling adult.
Identification
Humboldt penguins are medium-sized penguins, growing to 56–70 cm (22–28 in) long and a weight of 2.9 to 6 kg (6.4 to 13.2 lb). The sex of the Humboldt penguin cannot be recognised via differences in plumage, as they are monomorphic. The male is heavier and larger than the females. Their sex can be determined via head width and bill length; the male has a longer bill than the female. While all the Spheniscus penguins are close to each other in size, the Humboldt penguin is the heaviest species in the genus, with 123 females weighing 4.05 kg (8.9 lb) on average and 165 males averaging 4.7 kg (10 lb). Humboldt penguins have a black head with a white border that runs from behind the eye, around the black ear-coverts and chin, and joins at the throat. They have blackish-grey upperparts and whitish underparts, with a black breast-band that extends down the flanks to the thigh. They have a fleshy-pink base to the bill. Juveniles have dark heads and no breast-band. They have spines on their tongue which they use to hold their prey.<p>The Humboldt penguin has different calls that it uses to communicate in different ways. The function of its calls are consistent among Spheniscus species. If an individual comes too close to an adult Humboldt penguin, the Yell is a warning call which is followed by pecking or chasing if ignored. A higher density of penguins leads to more territorial and aggressive behaviours, which leads to more Yells. The Throb is a soft call between pairs at the nest, used by incubating birds when their mates return to the nest. The Haw is a short call given by juveniles alone in the water and by paired birds when one is on the water and the other is on land. It has significant individual variation in duration and frequency. The Bray is a long call used to attract a mate and advertise a territory during the pre-laying and pre-hatching periods. It is an individually distinct call in all variables: syllables per call, duration, inter-syllable intervals, duration of syllables and frequency. When calling, the bird points its head upwards and flaps its flippers slowly. The Courtship Bray is similar to the Bray, however a different posture is assumed and is given synchronously by pairs during the pre-laying period: the birds stand together pointing their necks and head up, with flippers out to the side. The Peep is given by chicks begging for food.<p>Most penguins moult between mid-January and mid-February, however the initiation varies with latitude and favourable conditions such as food abundance. Humboldt penguins are confined to land until they finish moulting. They become hyperphagic during the pre-moulting period. The feathers are lost and replaced within 2 weeks.
Taxonomy
Genus: Spheniscus; Family: Spheniscidae; Order: Sphenisciformes.
- Scientific name
- Spheniscus humboldti
- Authority
- Meyen, 1834
- Order
- Sphenisciformes
- Family
- Spheniscidae
- Genus
- Spheniscus
Range and habitat
The Humboldt penguin is a top predator endemic to the west coast of South America.<p>The Humboldt penguin's breeding distribution ranges from southern Chile along the dry and arid coastal regions of the Atacama Desert to subtropical Isla Foca in north Peru. Its range is restricted to the coast and offshore islands affected by the Humboldt current, which provides a continuous supply of nutrients and food, thus supporting huge populations of seabird. In Chile, the most important breeding colony is at Isla Chañaral.
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Bates's Sunbird
Cinnyris batesi
A very small nondescript sunbird with a short orange-based bill that curves uniformly along its length; easily mistaken for females of other sunbirds. The only features on the olive upperparts are indistinct paler eyebrows and lines running under the eyes, and yellow edging to the wings. Although often hidden, the male has yellow or whitish (not red) tufts at the shoulders. Singles are local and inconspicuous at the edges of lowland and riverine forest, sometimes entering secondary growth; it joins mixed-flocks and is frequently attracted to epiphytes in mossy clumps. Calls a high-pitched “tseeep” and trills. Little Green and Fraser’s sunbirds are similar to Bates’s but brighter, with straighter bills and more distinct yellowish eye-rings; Ursula’s Sunbird has a long decurved bill and grayish face and underparts.
Ring-necked Francolin
Scleroptila streptophora
Medium-sized, elaborately patterned francolin. There is a striped head, a rufous nape, a white throat, and a band of black-and-white stripes around the neck. Shows at most a hint of rufous in the wings in flight. Found on the ground in grassy, open woodland. Shy, poorly known, and highly localized species. Distinctive call is a mournful series of several hollow notes that first go up, then descend. Somewhat similar to Coqui Francolin, but larger, with a different pattern below: mostly plain with a few bold streaks on the sides of the belly. Also similar to Red-winged Francolin, but has a cleaner white throat, lacks large red patches in the wings, and has a different pattern on the underparts.
Guianan Gnatcatcher
Polioptila guianensis
Inconspicuous and rarely seen bird of rainforest canopy. Small and slender with a long tail; mostly dark gray with a broken white eyering, white belly, and white outer tail feathers. Inhabits canopy of tall forest, especially in regions with sandy soils, and also occurs in shorter-stature forests on white sand. Usually seen with mixed-species flocks as it forages actively in outer foliage, sallying for insects and gleaning from leaves, moving long tail from side to side, like other gnatcatchers. Thin and indistinct call notes are easily overlooked among calls of other species in flocks, but distinctive shape, active behavior, and long tail with much white should clinch identification. Distinguished from Tropical Gnatcatcher by uniform gray body plumage and lack of a black cap.
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