Kingdom- Animalia

Phylum- Chordata

Class- Aves

Family- Spheniscidae

Order- Sphenisciformes

Genus- Speniscus

Species- S. demersus

• Subspecies 

• • Humboldt

  • Magellanic

  • Galapagos

• 2-4 million years ago

• Closest relatives are humboldt and magellanic penguins found in southern south america and the Galapagos penguin found in the pacific ocean near the equator

• Ancestors 

  • Likely a flightened bird

• Black stripes

• Black spots on chest

• Pink glands above eye (becomes pinker as it gets hotter)

• 26.5-27.5 inches tall

• 4.4-11 pounds

• Beaks are 20-30 centimeters

• Males are bigger than females 

• Males have bigger beaks

• Average lifespan is 20 years 

• They live in large packs

• They are a food source for sharks and seals and also act as predators to small fish such as anchovies and sardines

• Groups consits of both males and females who are ready to breed

• Individual's that make up the groups are breeding pairs

• African penguins communicate with one another through vocalizations and body language. Each individual has its own unique vocalization that distinguishes it from the others.

• Once yearly

• They're monogamous (breed with one partner for their entire life) unless breeding has failed for some reason, then they will take another partner

• May-August

• Complex courtship displays performed by male and female; includes behaviors such as bowing and embracing.

• 1-2 eggs

• They only mate with 1 person for the rest of there lives

Stages of Devlopment:

• Egg

• Hatchling

• Chick

• Juvenile

• Adult

• 3-8 years to reach sexual maturity

• The first moult occurs after 14 days followed by a second moult at 40–60 days, and juvenile plumage develops at 70–80 days. The chicks are fully fledged after 70–90 days. The fledgling juveniles will go out to sea on their own and return to their colony of birth after about 12– 22 months to moult into their adult plumage. 

• Males have slightly thicker beaks comapred to females