Facts and Features of Macaroni Penguin

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Aves

Order: Sphenisciformes

Family: Spheniscidae

Genre: Eudyptes

Scientific name: Eudyptes Chrysolophus

Type: Bird

Diet: Carnivore

Size: 60-70cm (24-28in)

Wingspan: 80-100cm (31-39in)

Weight: 3.2-6.4kg (7 - 14 lbs)

Maximum speed: 35 kmh (22 mph)

Life Period: 15-20 years

Lifestyle:Group

Preservation Status: Threatened

Color: Black, white, brown, yellow

Skin Type: Feathers

Diet: Fish

Habitat: ice lands of  Sub-Antarctic Islands

Average Clutch Size: 2

Main Prey: fish, squid, crustaceans

Threats: Leopard seal, killer whale

Distinctive features: big red beak and yellow feathers on head

The macaroni penguin is a big sized species of penguin found in  sub - Antarctic areas.Macaroni penguin is one of six species of crested penguin and closely related to the Royal Penguin,by which some people class the two as came from same species.

The macaroni penguin spends most of his time during the coldest month of the winter by means of fishing where they are more protected from the bitter Antarctic winter conditions. However,when summer comes and temperature rises in the South Pole, the macaroni penguin migrate towards land to breed.

The macaroni penguin is the largest penguin species in the world, as there are approximately 18 million individual macaroni penguins.The macaroni penguin numbers decreased heavily in recent decades which provides that macaroni penguins is now considered as a vulnerable species.

Macaroni Penguins are one of the largest and heaviest species of penguins as the adult penguin average around 70 cm in height. The macaroni penguin also has a pair of very distinctive features, including a long red beak and a crest of feathers bright yellow colored at top of  head.

Like other penguin species , the macaroni penguin is a carnivorous animal as they only get food from surrounding water. The macaroni penguin spends six months in cold winter months hunting fish ,squid ,krill and crustaceans that macaroni penguins catches in his long beak .

The macaroni penguin only has a few natural predators in the icy Antarctic Ocean ,as there are only a number of animal species that can survive there .Leopard seals ,killer whales and sharks are the only attackers to macaroni penguins .

The macaroni penguin comes back  to the ground in summer months to breed. Macaroni penguins gather in large colonies that can contain up to 100,000 individual to lay their eggs .Female macaroni penguins usually lay two eggs a few days apart that hatch after around six weeks.Both male and female parents help to incubate the eggs and increase the chicks.