Reproduction projectMr Jeans

The Fairy Penguins

Fairy penguins are also known as little penguins, little blue penguins or blue penguins because of being small and blue and also called Korora in Maori.

These penguins are also birds but unlike most other penguins they don't live in snow and ice environments.

They can be found on the coastlines and wild inlands of Australia, New Zealand and possibly Chile.

These Birds feed on squid fish and other small sea creatures.

They grow to 43 cm and weigh up to 1kg at mature age.

There is hardly any sexual dimorphism between male and female fairy penguins.

If anything then it would be the males being a little larger than females, although their plumage is similar and females having thicker and longer beaks (which is hardly noticeable).

Males and Females also behave in a similar manor.

Unfortunately the only way to be 100% sure is to witness a female penguin laying eggs.

The point of sexual displays is to attract and reinforce the partnership bonds. Penguins have little sexual dimorphism and no external sex organs therefore making courtship a vital role in penguins breeding system. This is why penguins perform several displays of courtship. Here are several examples of many:

Alloy preening: Alloy preening consists of two methods; alloy-preening and mutual alloy-preening.the first is to do with 1 penguin preening on the other. Which may behaviour used between individuals of a pair, recognition or reconciliation may be formed through the act.

When the other penguin re-preens the focal penguin; it is now known as mutual alloy preening. Sometimes known as the “kiss preen” since the focal penguin often preens around the neck and beak of the other penguin. This is mostly done between a single pair of penguins and forms recognition.

Bowing: bowing is usually demonstrated in pairs at the nest, after approaching the nest, the female will bow to the male. Likewise the male may do the same. Sometimes the male also walks in the area bowing, which is used as a tool that maintains social bonds.

Vertical sway: this technique is used by males to communicate that this is his nesting territory and sometimes displaying it to the female. This works with a growl while the penguin looks down at his feet at then raising it up rapidly.

  Fairy penguins have a cycle breeding up to 50

days. The females pick and compete over their mates. Once partnerships are established and penguins have mated, 2 eggs usually would be laid and both parents approximately take 1 to 3 shifts a day to care for them, while the other parent would go out in search for food up to thirty days before eggs hatching. Chicks then stay in the nest for five weeks of being fed. After once turning about seven weeks of age and are now ready to start their own hunting lives at sea. Finally after two to three years they are now young adults and ready themselves for breeding.

Male penguins have no external sexual organs.

Female penguins have no external sexual organs.

Penguins just like most other sea birds, live a long lifespan.

Experiments have seen through that individuals can live up to 20 years; though the average life is approximately 6.5 years.

By Duy Ngac

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Chao =]