Scientific Classification
- Common Name
- chinstrap penguin
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Sphenisciformes
- Family
- Spheniscidae
- Genus Species
- Pygoscelis antarcticus
Fast Facts
- Description
- Medium-sized penguin with black head and white face. A black stripe under the chin distinguishes the species. Chinstraps are one of three species of "brush-tail" penguins along with the Adélie and gentoo penguins.
- Size
- 46–61 cm (18–24 in)
- Weight
- 4 kg (9 lbs.)
- Diet
- Primarily large krill; will also supplement diet with squid and fishes
- Incubation
- 33-35 days; after hatching, parents brood chicks for an additional 20–30 days
- Sexual Maturity
- No data
- Life Span
- 15-20 years
- Range
- Circumpolar in subantarctic and Antarctic waters
- Habitat
- Avoids pack ice and continental coasts, except near the Antarctic peninsula; usually remains near breeding islands throughout the year
- Population
- Global: 6.5 million breeding pairs
- Status
- IUCN: Not listed
CITES: Not listed
USFWS: Not listed
Fun Facts
- Chinstrap penguins may be the most abundant penguin, with a population estimated at 7.5 million breeding pairs.
- Chinstraps can reach depths of 70 m (230 ft), but most dives are less than 45 m (148 ft).
- Most dives last between 20–30 seconds.
- For more information about penguins, explore the Penguin InfoBook.
Ecology and Conservation
All 18 species of penguin are legally protected from hunting and egg collecting. The Antarctic Treaty of 1959 makes it illegal to harm, or in any way interfered with, a penguin or its eggs. Every penguin specimen collected with a permit must by approved by and reported to the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR).
Bibliography
Penguins - Third Edition. SeaWorld Education Department, 1996.
Coats, Judith. Penguins: Flightless Birds of the Southern Hemisphere. SeaWorld Education Department, 2001.
