Humboldt Penguin
Spheniscus humboldti
The Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti) is a rare penguin found in 5 countries, weighing about 4.4 kg. The Humboldt penguin is a medium-sized penguin.
About the Humboldt Penguin
The Humboldt penguin is a medium-sized penguin. It resides in South America, along the Pacific coast of Peru and Chile. Its nearest relatives are the African penguin, the Magellanic penguin and the Galápagos penguin. The Humboldt penguin and the cold water current it swims in are both named after the explorer Alexander von Humboldt. The species is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN with no population recovery plan in place. The current wild population is composed of roughly 23,800 mature individuals and is declining. It is a migrant species.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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. Voice: 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.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Humboldt Penguin can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Humboldt Penguin?
- 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). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Humboldt Penguin?
- The Humboldt Penguin is a huge sized bird weighing about 4.4 kg.
- Where can you see a Humboldt Penguin?
- The Humboldt Penguin occurs in 5 countries, including Chile, Peru and Ecuador.
- What birds look similar to a Humboldt Penguin?
- The Humboldt Penguin is most easily confused with the African Penguin, the Galapagos Penguin and the Magellanic Penguin.
- Is the Humboldt Penguin endangered?
- The Humboldt Penguin is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Humboldt Penguin for real
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