Rockhopper Penguins, Rockhopper Penguin Pictures, Rockhopper Penguin Facts -- National Geographic Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man Please add a "relative" entry to your dictionary. Rockhopper penguins are distinguished by the irreverent crest of spiky yellow and black feathers that adorns their head. Biologists left little ambiguity about this species’ preferred habitat when assigning its name. Rockhoppers are found bounding—rather than waddling, as most other penguins do—among the craggy, windswept shorelines of the islands north of Antarctica, from Chile to New Zealand. These gregarious marine birds are among the world's smallest penguins, standing about 20 inches (50 centimeters) tall. They have blood-red eyes, a red-orange beak, and pink webbed feet. During annual breeding times, rockhoppers gather in vast, noisy colonies, often numbering in the hundreds of thousands, to construct burrows in the tall tussock grasses near shore. They return to the same breeding ground, and often to the same nest, each year, and usually seek out their previous year's mate.

Both parents take turns incubating the eggs, aggressively pecking at anything, big or small, that may stray too close. Rockhoppers ply the frigid waters of their range using strong, narrow, flipper-like wings for propulsion. They usually stick to the shallows, but are capable of diving up to 330 feet (100 meters) in pursuit of fish, crustaceans, squid, and krill. These penguins are among the most numerous on the planet, but their population is in rapid decline. Colonies on the Falkland Islands were once the largest anywhere, but commercial overfishing, pollution, and other factors have cut the penguins' numbers by 90 percent. Breeding colonies on other islands are in trouble as well, and some estimates say rockhopper penguins have declined by more than 30 percent over the past 30 years. They are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, and if declines continue, they are likely to be uplisted to endangered in the near future. Rockhopper Penguin | Types of Penguins Genus/Species: Eudyptes chrysocome. Location: North of Antarctica, especially the Falkland Islands.

Rockhoppers are between 18 and 23 inches tall- around as high as an average adult human’s knee, and weigh between 5 to 8 lbs or as much as a newborn baby. They are the smallest of the crested penguins. They eat squid, krill and other small fish. They hunt in the frigid waters of their range. They usually stick to the shallows, but are capable of diving up to 330 feet. Commercial overfishing, pollution, and changes in sea temperature are threatening Rockhopper Penguin populations. Did You Know? Rockhoppers have been described as "fearless" and "bad-tempered" by scientists. They use their sharp beaks to protect themselves and encourage "intruders" to leave nesting sites. Sometimes rockhoppers will leap in and out of the water as they swim. This is called porpoising. When a rockhopper is finished swimming and ready to come ashore, it becomes a hopper again. It makes a giant leap out of the water onto the rocks. The rockhopper is a noisy bird. Its call or “braying” is very loud.

Penguin Facts: Species & Habitat Penguin Facts: Species & Habitat By Alina Bradford, Live Science Contributor | September 22, 2014 04:30pm ET MORE Credit: Dr. Robert Ricker, NOAA/NOS/ORR Penguins are torpedo-shaped, flightless birds that live in the southern regions of the Earth. Though many people imagine a small, black-and-white animal when they think of penguins, these birds actually come in a variety of sizes, and some are very colorful. For example, crested penguins sport a crown of yellow feathers. Blushes of orange and yellow mark the necks of emperor and king penguins. What look like bright yellow, bushy eyebrows adorn the heads of some species, such as the Fiordland, royal, Snares and rockhopper penguins. The macaroni penguin's name comes from the crest of yellow feathers on its head, which looks like the 18th-century hats of the same name. A light yellow mask covers the face of the yellow-eyed penguin around the eyes. An Adélie penguin on Penguin Island, which forms part of the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica.

Credit: Gemma Clucas According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), there are 19 species of penguin. (Some experts, however, say the eastern rockhopper is a subspecies of the southern rockhopper.) [ Gallery: Photos of 18 Penguin Species ] The smallest penguin species is the little (also called little blue) penguin. These birds grow to 10 to 12 inches (25.4 to 30.48 centimeters) tall and weigh only 2 to 3 lbs. (0.90 to 1.36 kilograms). The largest penguin is the emperor penguin. It grows to 36 to 44 inches (91.44 to 111.76 cm) tall and weighs 60 to 90 lbs (27.21 to 40.82 kg). Where do penguins live? Considered marine birds, penguins live up to 80 percent of their lives in the ocean, according to the New England Aquarium . All penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere, though it is a common myth that they all live in Antarctica.

In fact, penguins can be found on every continent in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also a myth that penguins can only live in cold climates. The Galapagos penguin, for example, lives on tropical islands at the equator. What do penguins eat? Penguins are carnivores; they eat only meat. Their diet includes krill (tiny crustaceans), squid and fish. Some species of penguin can make a large dent in an area's food supply. For example, the breeding population of Adélie penguins (about 2,370,000 pairs) can consume up to 1.5 million metric tons (1.5 billion kg) of krill, 115,000 metric tons (115 million kg) of fish and 3,500 metric tons (3.5 million kg) of squid each year, according to Sea World . The yellow-eyed penguin is very tenacious when foraging for food. It will dive as deep as 120 meters (393.70 feet) up to 200 times a day looking for fish, according to the Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust .

Mating & baby penguins A group of penguins is called a colony, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. During breeding season, penguins come ashore to form huge colonies called rookeries, according to Sea World. Most penguins are monogamous. This means that male and female pairs will mate exclusively with each other for the duration of mating season. In many cases, the male and female will continue to mate with each other for most of their lives. For example, research has found that chinstrap penguins re-paired with the same partner 82 percent of the time and gentoo penguins re-paired 90 percent of the time. At around three to eight years old, a penguin is mature enough to mate. Most species breed during the spring and summer. The male usually starts the mating ritual and will pick out a nice nesting site before he approaches a female. After mating, the female emperor or king penguin will lay a single egg. All other species of penguins lay two eggs. The two parents will take turns holding the eggs between their legs for warmth in a nest. The one exception is the emperor penguin .

The female of this species will place the egg on the male's feet to keep warm in his fat folds while she goes out and hunts for several weeks. When penguin chicks are ready to hatch, they use their beaks to break through the shell of their eggs. This process can take up to three days. After the chicks emerge, the parents will take turns feeding their offspring with regurgitated food. Penguin parents can identify their offspring by unique calls that the chick will make. Emperor penguins may migrate to find new nesting grounds. Credit: Michelle LaRue Rockhopper Penguin Facts for Kids – Rockhopper Penguin Habitat Rockhopper Penguin Facts for Kids – Rockhopper Penguin Habitat 2721 Rockhopper penguin facts for kids allow you to cram relevant and interesting insights about this beautiful bird. Rockhopper penguin is by far the smallest penguin specie. Eudyptes chrysocome is the scientific name of these birds. Rockhopper Penguin Facts for Kids The weight of the rockhopper penguins is 2.3 kg to 2.7 kg. The females are slightly smaller in size as compared to males. These species are 52 cm long.

Rockhoppers are capable to dive 100m deep into the water. These species are believed to be the most aggressive birds amongst all the penguins. Rockhopper Penguin Distribution Facts for Kids They are extensively distributed all over the islands including Antarctic Polar Front and Southern part of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Breeding Facts of Rockhopper Penguin As far as the breeding facts are concerned, these species have the same biology as that of other royal or Galapagos penguins . Unlike other penguins, the breeding season of these birds does not last too long. Females lay 2 eggs out of which second egg usually comes up with a chick. The males come back to their colonies in the month of October and November while females return afterwards. After their return to the colonies, they tend to rebuild their nests altogether. While females incubate (keeping warm) eggs, males usually go out in search of food and return after 1 month period. Females go by these days without food. The normal time when the chicks fledge comes in January. The breeding colonies comprise of more than 100,000 nests. Breeding starts from the day when the female lays 2 eggs in 4 days period.

The incubation period lasts from 32 – 34 days. The clutch comprise of 2 eggs. Rockhopper penguin Conservation Status On the negative side, the population of rockhopper penguins has been reported to decline more than 90% in different islands such as Falkland, Antipodes and Campbell Islands. One of the possible causes of this decline is the significant increase in the islands’ temperature due to which it becomes difficult for these penguins to hunt out their prey. Increasing global warming is mainly responsible for the added temperature. In the Macquarie Island, a rough estimate of rockhopper’s population counts to 100,000 to 500,000 species. Rockhopper Penguin Diet Facts The prime diet of these birds consists of fish, krill, squid, euphausids, and myctophid fish. During the breeding season; however, the diet turn out to be lesser as against normally. They eat greater quantity of fish in comparison to the royal penguins. These species are the migratory birds; in that they leave islands in the breeding season. Identification Tips for Rockhopper Penguins When it comes to the size, rockhopper penguins can be easily identified.

As against the orange plumes, rockhopper has yellow feather plumes. They can be distinguished through their red eye. They produce sound which is notably different from other species. The chicks of most of the penguins are same in size and color; therefore, not an easy to make a distinction amongst them. Rockhopper Penguin Habitat Facts These birds mostly build their nests on the rocky slopes and small caves in order to devoid sunlight. They tend to protect eggs by placing them underneath the ground or in the pile of rocks. Normally, initial eggs do not produce chicks and if they do, juveniles die too early. Species Southern, E. chrysocome chrysocome, (Western Rockhopper Penguin) Eastern, E. chrysocome filholi, (Eastern Rockhopper Penguin) Northern, E. chrysocome moseleyi, rockhoppers. (Southern Rockhopper Penguin) Southern Rockhopper Penguin These are one of the smallest species of penguins and belong to the group of Eudyptes Chrysocome. Southern Rockhopper penguins live in the subantarctic islands including Pacific and Indian Oceans.

Amazing Facts of Southern Rockhopper Penguin These species belong to the genus Eudyptes. The length of these birds is 45 – 58 cm (18 – 23 in) The weight is 2 – 3.4 kg (4-4 – 7.5 lb). The maximum weight of these species is 5 kg (11 lb). The southern rockhoppers are basically black and white. The average lifespan of southern rockhopper penguin is 10 – 20 years. The estimated population of these birds is about 7.3 million around the globe. Where do Southern Rockhopper Penguins live? Southern rockhoppers are globally distributed with a population of more than 1,000,000 breeding pairs. They usually breed on Falkland Islands together with Chile and Argentine Islands. Other Islands include Prince Edward Islands, Crozet Islands, Antipodes, Diego Ramirez Islands, Kerguelen Islands, Heard Islands, Campbell Islands, and Auckland Islands. Southern Penguin Diet Facts The primary feed of these birds include lantern fish, krill, squid, cuttlefish, octopus, crustaceans and mollusks.

Rockhopper Penguin Facts Videos Photo of the Day: Rockhopper Penguin | Audubon Photo of the Day: Rockhopper Penguin Michael Milicia has a close encounter of the bird kind. A rockhopper penguin gets in Michael Milicia's face during his trip to the Falkland Islands. The birds are very social and unafraid of humans, as they don't encounter predators all too often. Photo: By Michael Milicia Take Action Michael Milicia was eager to check out the southern rockhopper penguins during his trip to the Falkland Islands. Lucky for him, they were equally as curious when he showed up on their seaside digs. Milicia was exploring the "Neck" on Saunders Island, a cliff-lined isthmus that hosts many species of penguins and breeding birds, when he came upon this colony of rockhoppers. The birds weren't shy; the lack of predators on the island allows them to live a very tranquil lifestyle. To get this cozy shot, all Milicia had to do was keep still. When taking photos of birds, Milicia always focuses on capturing a dynamic pose. He also aims for a backdrop that will convey a sense of habitat without being overly distracting.

Ultimately, he wants all the elements of his photograph to come together and spin a story about the bird's natural history. Sometimes that natural history translates to science. Other times it tells the story of what could be the nosiest species on earth. This image was a Top 100 photo from the 2013 Audubon Magazine Photography Awards. To see all of the photos, click here . “The views expressed in user comments do not reflect the views of Audubon. Audubon does not participate in political campaigns, nor do we support or oppose candidates.” Types of Penguins - Different Types of Penguins Types of Penguins – Different Types of Penguins 3660 There are 17 different types of penguins, each of them differing slightly from each other. Here is an overview of about nine different types of penguins. I hope you enjoy it. Different Types of Penguins Emperor Penguin Among all the different types of penguins widely known, emperor penguin is the biggest of all penguin types in the world. The emperor penguins weigh up to almost 85 lbs and measuring 48-inch in height.

Besides, such types of penguinsexhibit vibrant spray of yellowish-orange shade at the chest while dark from rear side and have a white frontage. Emperor penguins Where do Emperor Penguins Live? Antarctica (Weddell and Ross Sea) is the only region in this planet where you’ll track down these types of penguins. Food Intake Such types of penguins usually munch through the following: Squids Krill Dive Range and Time Underwater These types of penguinshave a capacity to go for a dip underwater at about 1,700 feet beneath the sea water, which is the longest ever achieved among all the different types of penguins. Also, they can stay inside that water for almost 20 min. Breeding Season & Number of Eggs laid by Emperor Penguin The breeding season of such types of penguins is usually winter period and the female penguin lays just 1 egg. Age Limit They may live for almost 20 years at the most. Predators of Emperor Penguin African Penguin or Black Footed Penguin or Jackass Penguin African penguin These types of penguins usually weigh about 11 lbs and almost 27 inch in height.

Due to the peculiar characteristics, African penguin is recognized quite effortlessly among all the different types of penguins since there are some dark marks and patterns at the abdomen while skull and rear sides are murky. One of the great features of such types of penguins is that each strip is fairly dissimilar to the other one. Where do African Penguins live? These types of penguins are readily located in the shoreline of South Africa. Food Intake Krill Breeding Season & Number of Eggs These types of penguins usually breed in the initial half of February in every year while the female lays only 2 sea green eggs. Age Limit and Population These types of penguins may have a lifespan of about 10 years and for the last thirty-five years; the population of African penguins has plummeted to a great extent as almost 1.35 million penguins were killed during this era. Besides in 2000, almost 19,000 African penguins breathed their last because of oil leakage. Swimming Speed These types of penguins usually rummage around for their diet at a distance of about 96 kilometers and go swimming at a rapid pace of twenty miles per hour.

Predators of African Penguin Adelie Penguin Adelie Penguin These types of penguins are likely to be undersized among the different types of penguins and for that reason they sound to be quite heavy at times however they weigh up to 15 lbs. Moreover, their height is only 30 inches. Despite of this, there are some distinctive characteristics as well like at the extremity of the bill as well as in the region of eyes, white circles are usually apparent. Also, such types of penguins possess a stretchy tail and a red-shaded mouth which is murky at the end. Where do Adelie Penguins live? Apart from Antarctica, these types of penguins also live in Ross Island (about five million). Food Intake Small shrimps Breeding Season and Dive Range Such types of penguins usually breed in the first part of January of each year. At times, they go for a dip at about 500 feet underwater looking for their diet. Predator of Adelie Penguin King Penguin King Penguin These types of penguins are next to the Emperor penguins, particularly when it comes to the size among all the different types of penguins.

They can weigh up to 35 lbs and a height of about 3 feet. The main structure of such types of penguins is largely shadowy while some feeling of blue shade is also there at the rear side. At the rear as well as at the bill of these penguin types, there is gloomy yellow shade, which is also apparent at their frontage too. Where do King Penguins live? They can be readily found in: Antarctica Crustaceans Population, Age Limit & Number of Eggs The maximum lifespan of these types of penguins is almost 30 years but the real problem is that they are becoming extinct by the passage of time and a very small number of 12,000 of Humboldt penguins are left behind. The female penguin lays about 3 eggs. Predators of Humboldt Penguin Macaroni Penguin Macaroni Penguins These types of penguins are easily distinguished among the different types of penguins, primarily due to the attractive shades of feather located at their skull. Being vibrant-shaded, these penguins are yellowish colored along with a shadowy touch. They can weigh up to almost 12 lbs and a height of about 28 inches. Where do Macaroni Penguins live?

They are readily present in the Antarctica neck of land. Food Intake Penguin | Species | WWF Penguin Donateh Overview Penguins are a family of 17 to 19 species of birds that live primarily in the Southern Hemisphere. They include the tiny blue penguins of Australia and New Zealand, the majestic emperor penguins of Antarctica and king penguins found on many sub- Antarctic islands, the endangered African penguin and the Galápagos penguin—the only penguin to be found north of the equator. b Scientific Name 15 inches to 3 ½ feet d Weight 2 pounds to 80 pounds e Habitats Oceans, Coasts Though they are birds, penguins have flippers instead of wings. They cannot fly and on land they waddle walking upright—though when snow conditions are right they will slide on their bellies. In the water they are expert swimmers and divers, and some species can reach speeds of up to 15 miles per hour. The penguin’s distinctive coloring—black body with white belly—helps camouflage the bird in the water as it searches for meals of small shrimp, fish, crabs and squid.

The Antarctic Peninsula, where half of the world’s emperor penguins and 70% of the Adelie penguins can be found, is heating up faster than the global average and melting the sea ice that the penguins depend on for places to breed and access to food. How many types of bird are there? Science and Technology How many types of bird are there? It is thought that there are about 8,700 different species of bird alive today. They are grouped together in orders such as the penguins, herons, and parrots. There are 27 of these orders. A species of penguin, the rockhopper Rockhopper Penguin | Facts, pictures & more about Rockhopper Penguin Location: Sub-Antarctic islands, southern tip of South America Conservation status: Southern – Vulnerable, Northern - Endangered Diet: Krill, fish, small crustaceans, squid, mollusks Appearance: Black bodies and flippers, white bellies, feathered “punkish” crest on head, red eyes How do Rockhopper Penguins hunt? Rockhoppers can dive 100 metres for several minutes while on the hunt. They’ll often stay out in the ocean for days at a time.

Like other penguins Rockhoppers have a layered defence against the cold. They have a substantial layer of fat, followed by a layer of down on their skin that keeps heat in. On top of that they have a mesh of tightly overlapping waterproof feathers. Penguins have the highest number of feathers of any birds – sometimes up to 12 per square centimetre. Also like other penguins, Rockhoppers can alter the shape of the lenses in their eyes, giving them good vision both above and below the water. Do Rockhopper Penguins socialize? Rockhoppers will form vast breeding colonies (sometimes up to hundreds of thousands) during mating seasons. They differ from most other types of penguins in that they can become quite aggressive toward each other, fighting for nesting sites, mating rights, and food. When fighting, they’ll slap at each other with their flippers. Aside from fighting, Rockhoppers have a variety of body-based communications including bowing, shaking their heads, and preening.

Vocally, Rockhoppers are very loud, throwing back their heads and “braying” different signals to each other – sometimes for location, sometimes to warn others to back off, other times to locate their mate and chicks amidst the vast throng. How fast can Rockhopper Penguins move? On land they’re not very fast at all. This is where they earned their common name – unlike other penguins which will slide around on ice on their bellies Rockhoppers on land prefer to hop about the rocky shores of their colony’s grounds. Underwater they usually swim at about 7 km per hour. What is the Rockhopper Penguin’s mating ritual like? When mating season arrives in early spring waves upon waves of Rockhoppers will leave their hunting grounds of the sea (where they’ve spent months feeding) climbing up onto rocky shores generally too harsh for other animals, which makes for a fairly safe haven. Males generally arrive first, the females following a few weeks later. Rockhoppers form lifetime mating pairs, so much of the first few hours are spent locating their mates using their loud braying calls. Once paired up the duo will return to the nest they used in the previous years.

Usually the female will lay two eggs although usually only one survives. The adults will take turns incubating the eggs while the other returns to the hunting grounds to fatten up again. It takes about 1 month for the egg to hatch. The fuzzy black-and-white chicks don’t have feathers; they’re covered instead with a fuzzy down. They rely on their parents to feed them fish through regurgitation for about a month. At this point the chick will join the other newborns in a crèche and together they’ll learn how to swim and hunt. The parents will head off back to the hunting grounds, returning again with more food, calling to their chicks with their own identifiable call. This process lasts until the chicks are about 10 weeks old. How long do Rockhopper Penguins live? Rockhopper Penguins generally live about 10 years in the wild. How many Rockhopper Penguins are there today? A rough estimate places the worldwide Rockhopper Penguin population at over 7,000,000, but they’ve suffered a drastic 30% population drop over the last 30 years due to pollution and other man-made examples of interference. Do Rockhopper Penguins have any predators?

On land the only threat to Rockhoppers comes from other birds like the Brown Skua which will try for eggs and chicks. Rockhoppers are very aggressive in defending their young and territory, rushing and snapping at invaders. In the sea Rockhoppers are vulnerable to Seals, Sharks, and Killer Whales (Orcas). 7 Rockin’ Rockhopper Penguin Facts Like other penguins, Rockhoppers can sleep while floating on the sea. There’s some disagreement in the scientific world about just what constitutes a Rockhopper, which is why there’s three scientific names designating different locations for different colonies. Rockhoppers are the smallest example of crested penguins. Eudyptes means “good diver” in Greek. Chrysocome means “golden hair.” The Rockhopper’s yellow “eyebrow” is called a “supercilium.” Rockhoppers’ beaks start out black, only turning orange as they age. Rockhoppers can swim fast enough to launch themselves out of the water to land on the shore on their fat bellies. Love this article?

Share your appreciation: Related cruises FI Conservation - Rockhopper Rockhopper Falkland Steamer Duck Tachyeres brachypterus The Falkland Steamer Duck, known locally as the Logger Duck, is a flightless bird found only in the Falkland Islands.These birds can be found with no great effort in the Islands along all low-lying coasts where there is shelter from the full force of the South Atlantic Ocean. In world terms it is a rare bird: it occurs here and nowhere else. Its total population has been estimated (1997) at up to 16,000 pairs of birds. Description The male is larger and paler overall. In general, he is grey or white about the head, while the female's head is brown with a white eye-ring and a thin while line curving from the eye down the side of the head. Young males and some adult males in moult may also have a white line behind the eye, but this is less clear-cut.Differences in colouration between male and female are not unusual in the duck family. Only females incubate the eggs.

The male’s more 'showy' appearance serves to attract the female, and makes him more obvious to other birds when defending his territory. The male is large – one of the biggest ducks in the world. An adult drake may weigh around 3½ kg and measure 80cms from the tip of his bill to the end of his tail. Both sexes, when adult, have orange-yellow legs and feet. Those of immature birds, of either sex, are paler and have black marks at the heel and toe joints. All individuals have spurs, bare of feathers, at the angle of the wing. An adult male defending territory will have well-developed, bright orange spurs, which he will use to good effect in violent combat with other male s.It is a noisy bird. The alarm call of the male can be heard far away – a wheezy 'cheeeroo'. The most distinctive sound made by the female is a deep bass croaking note, delivered with beak pointing to the sky. Both sexes have a variety of quiet contact calls. (Photo above - Male and female steamer ducks are distinctively different in appearance. The bill of an adult male is bright orange, with a prominent black tip.

The female bill is greenish-yellow) Behaviour Steamer ducks preening. The Falkland Steamer Duck is flightless, but it can race speedily over the water, propelling itself with both wings and feet. It does this in a large cloud of spray, as its breast ploughs the water like the prow of a ship. Its wings are perfectly formed but when folded are shorter than its body.They are very aggressive, and can only be kept successfully in captivity singly or as mated pairs, isolated from other birds. A zoo specimen was once reported to have killed a swan several times its own size. These ducks will 'steam' when trying to escape danger, or when battling with each other. (Photo: Alan Henry) In the wild, mated pairs hold and defend a territory – a waterfront and adjoining sea area – against all comers. Favoured locations are ones with sheltered inshore waters and a plentiful supply of food. In such areas there may be territories every 300 metres or so. Whenever a territorial male catches sight of its neighbours, or if wandering unmated birds encroach on his territory, a face-off occurs.

This occasionally takes the form of a fierce and bloody battle, in which the female of the pair also takes part. Sometimes, one of the combatants is killed or dies of wounds. This bloodletting is exceptional in the bird world. With other territorial species, such arguments usually lead to a lot of puffing and posturing, but no actual combat.Immature birds and unmated adults often band together in groups, sometimes numbering more than three hundred. Individuals within flocks normally tolerate the presence of others in the group although as spring approaches there is always some skirmishing. Inevitably, flocks are forced to keep away from occupied territories, but must still remain in areas where there is plenty of food. So, flocks are often found in large sheltered bays where there are shellfish beds seaward of the defended territories. In the spring, individuals and small groups will encroach on the established territories, and much fighting takes place. Food Steamer ducks feed on a variety of small marine animals living on the seabed. They will upend to feed in very shallow water, but mainly they dive to secure their prey. They use both wings and feet to propel themselves underwater.

When one bird from a large flock dives, often most of the others go down at the same time. They will emerge almost simultaneously 20-40 seconds later, bouncing to the surface like a lot of corks. No detailed studies of the ducks' diet have been undertaken, but we know that mussels are a favourite item and that they also eat other bivalves, sea-snails, limpets, shrimps and crabs. Predators Even though a bold and aggressive bird, the Steamer Duck always gives way when it meets a sea lion. Sea lions are today the only significant predators of the adult birds. From time to time they catch and kill an unwary bird. Formerly, they would have also been preyed on by the warrah, or Falkland fox. This was the only land predator before man came on the scene. The warrah is no longer with us; it was persecuted by the early settlers in the Falklands because it killed sheep, and the last one was shot in 1876. Even today, Steamer Ducks will head quickly for open water if a dog appears over the horizon, but will allow humans to approach more closely. On land, they can run remarkably fast for ducks.

This is probably an adaptation which once helped them to escape sudden attacks by foxes. Other Threats The Steamer Duck is very vulnerable to coastal pollution. Like all waterfowl, it is at risk from oil pollution, which clogs the feathers and destroys their waterproofing. Sediments deposited from sewage outfalls, or peat run-off from the land, can smother shellfish beds on which they feed. Courtship and Nesting Young Steamer Ducks. It hides its nest in long grass or diddle-dee; occasionally in dry kelp tangles, old penguin burrows or jumbled boulders. The nest itself is a slight hollow in the ground lined with grass and soft down feathers. It is usually within easy sprinting distance of the seashore, but nests have been found up to 400 metres from the sea. Typically, the bird lays 5 - 8 eggs, rarely more. Nests with eggs have been found in most months of the year, but mainly in the period September - December. The female alone does all the incubation, as is usual with duck species.

She will leave the nest to bathe and preen for 15 - 30 minutes each day, covering her eggs with nest materials before she goes. It is not known if she feeds at all when on eggs. The incubation period is thought to be 26 - 30 days from when the last egg is laid. While the female remains hidden on the nest, the male patrols the territory and chases away all-comers. Flying Steamer Duck. (Photo: Alan Henry) Another species of steamer duck is found in the Falklands – the Flying Steamer Duck Tachyeres patachonicus (known locally as the canvasback). This bird, however, is not unique to the Falklands as it also occurs over a large part of southern Argentina and Chile, often far inland. It is a slimmer, flying version of the Falkland Steamer Duck. Nowhere in the Falklands is it as common as its cousin. It usually nests near inland freshwater ponds and feeds both in freshwater and the sea. In winter it is found mainly in sheltered sea inlets and bays. Adapted from The Logger, Falkland Islands Foundation, 1986.

Upland and Ruddy Headed Geese The race of Upland Goose Chloephaga picta leucoptera found in the Falklands is unique. Scientists have observed that it is diverging in an evolutionary sense from its continental cousin, the Magellan goose. Falkland birds are sedentary and much tamer. Only occasionally, the smaller continental bird, in which the male also has barred underparts, is seen in the Islands. The Falkland race has never been recorded from the mainland of South America. The Falkland population may be as high as 150,000 pairs. A pair of Upland Geese, male on the left and female on the right. Ruddy-headed Goose Chloephaga rubidiceps is also very special. This species was once numerous in Tierra del Fuego, but has been driven to the brink of extinction there by man, decimated by the introduction of the Patagonian grey fox and shooting in its winter quarters. The Falklands now hold most of the world population of this attractive little goose, which is classified as Near Threatened by BirdLife International. It is fairly common in the Islands, though less numerous than the Upland Goose.

The population was estimated at up to 27,000 pairs in 1997. Both species often associate together, especially near low-lying coasts. Description Female Upland Goose in flight. (Photo: Alan Henry) Upland Goose The male Upland Goose is a handsome bird with his white plumage barred and marked with black. He has black legs and is usually larger than his mate. In general, where the male Upland is white his mate is cinnamon brown. She has a rusty-brown head and neck, brown breast and flanks barred black and dark yellow legs. The female Upland Goose is broadly similar to both sexes of the Ruddy-headed Goose, but she has a heavier head and bill, and her rusty neck colour continues into the barred breast. Ruddy headed-Goose This bird is much smaller than the Upland Goose and it has a distinctive white eye ring. The bright chestnut head and upper neck are sharply divided from the finely barred grey and black lower neck and breast. The flanks are closely barred black, the belly and under tail are chestnut and this bright colour is even noticeable when the bird is swimming.

Behaviour and Breeding Behaviour is similar for both species in the Falkland Islands. The nest is constructed of grasses and other soft vegetation, and lined with down. In August or September mated pairs (they usually pair up for life) occupy a feeding territory, which they defend vigorously. Territorial fights are sometimes long and vicious: combatant males can be seriously injured or even killed. Favoured territorial areas are penguin greens, naturally fertile areas along valley bottoms and by ponds and fertilised grassland or reseeds near settlements. Ruddy-headed Goose with goslings. (Photo: Alan Henry) Three to eight eggs are laid. Incubation is the task of the female, while the male stands guard nearby. When the young hatch they may spend up to 15 hours in the nest being brooded and drying out. They then leave, never to return, and head for water and the nearest areas of grazing. The goslings feed independently from the start. First and second year birds too young to breed and failed breeders form large flocks to moult at regularly used sites. Flight feathers are shed simultaneously and the birds become flightless for a period of about 5 weeks.

Flocks of these ‘shedders’ are often harassed by farmers. It would appear that successful breeding birds go without moulting, sometimes skipping moult three years in succession. This is unusual, since adequate flight feathers are essential in most species for migration and to escape ground predators. However, Falkland Upland Geese do not migrate and are usually reluctant to take flight. A breeding pair may rear up to five goslings to the free-flying stage. Once the young can fly, the family’s attachment to their feeding territory wanes, as does their aggressive attitude. The family unit remains together during the winter and will often form loose groups with others at favoured feeding sites. Threats Problems arise over the passion these geese have for grasses – an interest shared by sheep. Upland Geese grazing on fertilised grassland. For many years they were heavily persecuted in the Falklands, not helped by the birds being ridiculously tame. Bounties were paid for beaks. It has been estimated that at least 25,000 geese were killed each year in the late 1970s under farm schemes.

However, a number of studies show that the geese take only a small proportion of herbage and moreover, goose droppings are more nutritious than much of the grass, and sheep eat droppings. Geese are a particular problem only on reseeded pastures. In the last thirty years there has been a more enlightened attitude towards these geese, and they are no longer persecuted to anything like the same extent, though Upland Geese are still classed as pests. Upland Geese are regarded in the Falkland Islands as a good alternative to mutton; their fresh eggs are enjoyed by many local people and full-grown geese are a delicacy when they have been feeding on diddle-dee berries in the autumn. Troglodytes cobbi Cobb’s wren is found only in the Falkland Islands. On 28 July 1908 on Carcass Island Arthur Cobb shot a wren using rice as the charge. The specimen was skinned and sent to the Natural History Museum in London, where it was studied and described as a new species, Cobb’s Wren Troglodytes cobbi.

Though considered later by some ornithologists to be a form of the continental House Wren, it was confirmed (1993) as one of the two endemic Falkland bird species, with the Falkland Flightless Steamer Duck. This bird is restricted to outer islands that have remained free of introduced predators (cats, rats and mice). It has Vulnerable conservation status (BirdLife International) primarily because of the destruction of its tussac grass habitat, introduction of predators and the small geographic range of its scattered population (estimated at about 6,000 pairs on 29 islands in 2001). The ideal habitat for this bird appears to be dense tussac grass growing from high water mark behind a boulder beach with accumulated dead kelp (seaweed) in which invertebrates thrive. A Species Action Plan (384kb PDF) has been produced by Falklands Conservation and the Falkland Islands Government to protect this endemic bird. Arthur Cobb after whom this small bird is named. Description This is a small bird up to 13 cm long. It has a dark chestnut back, with a grey-brown head and is buff-white below.

The wings and tail are closely barred dark brown and chestnut. The bill is blackish and slightly curved. Adults fade to dull brown above during the summer when newly fledged juveniles have a dark head and bright chestnut back. Behaviour Cobb’s wren is very tame. It will feed close to people on a beach, and slip between or under boulders like a mouse. In tussac grass it also vanishes silently when disturbed in preference to flying away. The call notes are a harsh, buzzing chiz or cheez, which become loud and explosive when the bird is excited. Song is a mixed phrase of rapid trills, whistles and harsh notes lasting about two seconds. It sings mostly from late August to November and less frequently through to April. Males can live at least six years and probably remain faithful to their breeding territories throughout the year. Cobb’s wren on a boulder beach, Carcass Island. Food Camel Cricket Cobb’s wrens feed on small invertebrates, including insects and sea lice on beaches. They also take camel crickets and will feed their nestlings on moth larvae.

Breeding The birds breed between October and December, laying 3-4 pinkish eggs spotted with red and are probably double brooded. The nest is a domed ball of grasses with a deep cup lined with soft feathers, built in a cavity in a tussac pedestal or below rocks. Predators Cobb’s wren searching for food amongst the kelp. It is probable that rats, mice and feral cats have destroyed whole populations of Cobb’s wren. This bird is incapable of surviving where these predators have been introduced in the Falklands. It has also suffered from long-term destruction of tussac grass habitat. The above information has been obtained from publications by Robin Woods, with his kind permission.

Question: A Rockhopper is what type of bird?
Answer: Penguin