Gentoo penguin

The gentoo penguin (/ˈdʒɛntuː/ JEN-too) (Pygoscelis papua) is a kind of penguin that lives in cold places. It is part of a group of birds called the Pygoscelis genus and is most similar to the Adélie penguin and the chinstrap penguin. Scientists first described this penguin in 1781, and it was found in the Falkland Islands.

Gentoo penguins make many different sounds, but the one you hear most often is a loud, trumpet-like call. They make this sound by throwing their heads back while calling. These penguins are interesting because of how they talk and where they live in the wild.

Names

The name "gentoo" for this penguin is not very clear. It might come from an old Anglo-Indian word used to tell apart two groups of people. Some think it could also be linked to another name for the bird, "Johnny penguin." The scientific name "papua" is a mistake. When the penguin was first described, a scientist thought it lived in Papua, which is now called New Guinea, but that is far away from where these penguins actually live. No penguins live in New Guinea.

Taxonomy

The gentoo penguin is one of three species in the genus Pygoscelis. Tests with special science tools called mitochondrial and nuclear DNA show that this group of penguins separated from other penguins about 38 million years ago. The Adélie penguins split off from this group around 19 million years ago, and then the chinstrap and gentoo penguins separated around 14 million years ago.

There are four types of gentoo penguins that scientists recognize:

Before 2021, only two types of gentoo penguins were known. But a study in 2020 suggested there are actually four different kinds. In 2021, scientists updated their information to include these four types, even though they are very similar to each other.

Description

The gentoo penguin is known for its broad, white stripe that runs like a bonnet across its head and its bright orange-red bill. It also has pale whitish-pink, webbed feet and a long tail, which is longer than any other penguin’s tail. Baby gentoo penguins, called chicks, have grey backs and white fronts. When they walk on land, their tail moves from side to side.

Gentoo penguins can grow to be 70 to 90 cm (28 to 35 in) long, making them the third-largest penguin species after the emperor penguin and the king penguin. Males can weigh up to 8.5 kg (19 lb) before their feathers shed, while females can weigh up to 8.2 kg (18 lb). They are excellent swimmers, able to reach speeds of up to 36 km/h (22 mph) in the water. Gentoos are well suited to live in very cold and tough climates.

Breeding

Gentoo penguins build their homes on places without ice. These homes can be close to the water or far away, but they like areas near the coast with short grass. In some spots, like South Georgia, their homes are about 2 kilometers inland.

These penguins live on many islands near the South Pole. Big groups are found on the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and Kerguelen Islands. Smaller groups live on Macquarie Island, Heard Islands, Crozet Islands, South Shetland Islands, and the Antarctic Peninsula. There are thought to be over 600,000 gentoo penguins.

They make nests from stones, often quite big, about 20 centimeters high and 25 centimeters wide. The parents take turns keeping the two eggs warm, which hatch after about 34 to 36 days. The baby penguins stay in the nests for around 30 days before joining others in groups. They grow their adult feathers and go to the ocean about 80 to 100 days later.

Diet

Gentoos eat fish, crustaceans like krill and shrimp, and cephalopods. In some months, crustaceans make up most of their food, but from June to October, they mostly eat grey rockcod (Lepidonotothen squamifrons).

They are flexible eaters and around the Falklands, they eat fish, squat lobsters, and squid, along with other sea creatures like octopuses.

Physiology

Gentoo penguins eat food with a lot of salt, which can be hard on their bodies, especially for baby chicks. To help with this, they have a special gland near their eyes that removes extra salt. This gland makes a very salty liquid that comes out of their beaks.

Gentoo penguins do not store as much fat as their close relatives, the Adélie penguins. This means they need less energy when hunting for food. When gentoo penguins are still inside their eggs, they need a lot of energy to grow. As they grow, they need more and more oxygen, reaching about 1800 ml of oxygen each day when they hatch.

Predators

In the sea, leopard seals, sea lions, and killer whales hunt gentoos. On land, healthy adult gentoos are safe from predators. However, skuas and giant petrels often take eggs and attack baby chicks. These birds can also harm injured or sick adult gentoos. Other seabirds, like the kelp gull and snowy sheathbill, also try to take eggs and chicks. Skuas on King George Island have sometimes attacked adult gentoos, possibly to defend their territory.

Conservation status

The number of gentoo penguins in the maritime Antarctic is growing quickly. They are moving into new areas because of changes in the climate. As of 2019, the IUCN Red List says the gentoo penguin is not in danger and its numbers are stable. But in some places, their numbers are dropping quickly. For example, at Bird Island, South Georgia, the population has become much smaller over 25 years. Many things, like pollution, hunting, fishing, and people visiting for fun, still trouble these penguins.

In popular culture

The Linux distribution Gentoo Linux is named after the gentoo penguin because this penguin is known as the fastest swimmer. The creators of Gentoo Linux wanted their operating system to be very powerful, just like the penguin.

In the 2011 film adaptation of Mr. Popper's Penguins, there are six gentoo penguins with fun names: Captain, Lovey, Loudy, Bitey, Stinky, and Nimrod.