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
adelie colonies, though from what I saw of them I would put them
behind adelies 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.
