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Called Chinstrap penguins
because of their characteristic band of dark feathers under the chin that
appears to be keeping their dark hats on, these are the smallest of three
species of Pygoscelis penguins. They average about 4.5kg and 68cm
tall, according to the books they are particularly noisy and aggressive,
infiltrating and taking over adélie colonies, though from what I saw of
them I would put them behind adélies in aggression and volume.
This
picture was taken in a chinstrap colony during a spring snow-fall, all of
the penguins at least had eggs and many had chicks so the adults on the
nests had to play the parental role to the full protecting the young from
the cold by laying down and occasionally getting up to shake off the
accumulated snow. It stopped snowing shortly after this and the
temperature being just above freezing, the snow melted fairly quickly and
so posed little or no danger to the young on this occasion.
Photo; © Paul Ward - Pentax equipment,
100mm
lens, 35mm film, K64.
This picture may not be copied or used in any manner without
prior written permission.
