Horcon's crested penguin (SciiFii)

A Horcon's crested penguin (Eudyptes calauina), also known as the band crested penguin and the South American crested penguin, is a species of crested penguin that originally lived in what is now Chile during the Pliocene and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and introduced throughout the Pacific coastlines of South America to help boost biodiversity. The Horcon's crested penguin is one of the smallest species of crested penguin, only growing to be about 60–70 cm (24–28 in) tall and weigh around 2.2–3.5 kg (4.9–7.7 lb), about the size of the African penguin (Spheniscus demersus). As with other penguins, the Horcon's penguin is a carnivore that mainly feeds on krill, small fish, and small amounts of squid. The Horcon's crested penguins will hunt in localized areas in conjunction to neighboring colonies, similarly to other crested penguins. The breeding season of Horcon's crested penguins occurs in the fall of South America, beginning in late December and ending in early May. Horcon's crested penguins begin reproducing in the age range of the 3 to 9 years old. To court females, single males stand erect with their wings spread out and pumping their chest. It is likely that the pairs remain faithful to each other for more than one season. The pairs then build a nest, most of the work being done by the male. The female lays five eggs, typically about three to five days apart, which hatch 31–37 days later. The laid eggs after the first egg is up to 15 percent larger than the first and also hatches first. The smaller, later-hatched chicks are outcompeted by their siblings and usually does not survive, also called "siblicide". Egg-size dimorphism is particularly large in Horcon's crested penguins, and the larger egg hatching first only accentuates the sibling size difference. Hatching pattern and size-dimorphic eggs are two of the mechanisms by which birds can change their breeding pattern in response to environmental and breeding conditions. In altricial birds, such as Horcon's crested penguins, egg-size variation and asynchronous hatching are adaptive mechanisms that may lead to brood reduction. However, Horcon's crested penguins and other members of their genus, Eudyptes, differ from most other birds in that their last laid egg is larger and hatches first rather than being the smallest and last to hatch. Egg incubation does not occur until both eggs have been laid, and they are usually incubated one in front of the others. The smaller, first-laid egg is often placed in the anterior position for incubation, which is thought to be the less favourable location since they have lower and more variable temperatures during incubation. Although the smaller, first egg receives less favourable incubation, egg-size dimorphism affects the hatching pattern in Horcon's crested penguins instead of egg incubation position. Both parents incubate the eggs. For the first ten days, they alternate. Then the male leaves for an extended period (about 12 days) to forage for food, while the mother stays with the eggs. When he returns, the roles are reversed. Also, upon his return, the pair engages in a display of bowing and trumpeting, which further strengthens their bond. For the first three weeks after hatching, the male guards the chicks from predators while the female searches for food, returning each day to feed her offspring. The parents can recognise their chicks and chicks can recognise their parents. The study found that calls between chick and parent were more important for recognition than visual cues. The parents provide food for their young each day until it has moulted and can forage for its own food. The chicks fledge at approximately 11 weeks. The conservation status of the Horcon's crested penguin is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the Horcon's crested penguin's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii