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Snoozing Magellanic Penguin


Snoozing Magellanic Penguin
Photo Information
Copyright: James Parker (Jamesp) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1252 W: 0 N: 4842] (14380)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2001-12
Categories: Birds
Camera: Canon EOS 1vHS, Canon 70-200 f 2.8 L USM, Fuji Provia 100
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2008-06-17 8:04
Viewed: 613
Points: 40
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
This shot is a scanned slide. I took it on a visit to Punta Tombo in Argentina before going on to do a cruise to the Antarctic Peninsula, South Georgia and the Falkland Islands.

Punta Tombo is a peninsula into the Atlantic Ocean 110 km (68 mi) south of Trelew in the Chubut Province of Argentina, where there is an important colony of Magellanic Penguins. It is found a short distance north of Camarones.

The 3 km (1.9 mi) long, 600 m (1,969 ft) wide peninsula is covered with sand, clay and gravel. Between September and April, up to half a million penguins come to this site to incubate their eggs, and prepare their offspring for migration - the largest such colony in South America. Couples stand in front of their nests, protecting the eggs from birds and other predators, and occasionally one adult goes to the sea for food. Other wildlife encountered in the area including sea birds (mainly seagulls, chimangos and cormorants), rheas and guanacos.

The 2.1 km˛ (0.8 sq mi) Punta Tombo Provincial Reserve has been protected since 1979, according to provincial decree, and it is one of the main tourist attractions in Chubut.

The Magellanic Penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus, is a South American penguin, breeding in coastal Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands, with some migrating to Brazil. It is the most numerous of the Spheniscus penguins. Its nearest relatives are the African Penguin, the Humboldt Penguin and the Galápagos Penguin.

Magellanic Penguins are medium-sized penguins which grow to be 70-76 cm (28-30 in) tall and weigh between 3 kg and 6 kg, with the males being larger than the females.

Adults have black backs and white stomachs. There are two black bands between the head and the breast, with the lower band being in an inverted horseshoe shape. The head is black and has a broad white border running from behind the eye, around the black ear-coverts and chin, and joining on the throat. Chicks and juveniles are grey-blue on their backs, with a more faded grey-blue color on their chest. In the wild, Magellanic Penguins can live up to 25 years, while ages of 30 years have been reached in captivity.

Young birds usually have a blotched pattern on their feet, with this 'blotching' fading as they age. Older birds of over ten years usually have solid black feet.

Like the other species of penguins, the Magellanic Penguin has very rigid wings used to 'fly' under water.

Magellanic Penguins travel in large flocks when hunting for food. In the breeding season, these birds gather in large nesting colonies at the coasts of Argentina, southern Chile, and the Falkland Islands, which have a density of 20 nests per 100 square meters. The largest of these colonies is located at Punta Tombo. Nests are built under bushes or in burrows. Two eggs are laid. Incubation lasts 39-42 days, a task which the parents share in 10-15 day shifts. The chicks are cared for by both parents for 29 days and are fed every 2-3 days. Normally both are raised through adulthood, though occasionally only one chick is raised.

Magellanic Penguins mate with the same partner year after year. Males reclaim the burrow from the previous year and wait to reconnect with their female partners. The females are able to recognize their mates through their call alone.

Millions of these penguins still live on the coasts of Chile and Argentina, but the species is classified as "Near Threatened," primarily due to the vulnerability of large breeding colonies to oil spills, which kill 20,000 adults and 22,000 juveniles every year off the coast of Argentina. The decline of fish populations is also responsible, as well as predators such as sea lions and giant petrels, which prey on both the chicks and the adults.
Argus, ralfsworld, SelenE, boreocypriensis, eng55, eqshannon, Alex99, jaycee, gracious, Gert-Paassen, bahadir, Luis52, CeltickRanger, pekkavalo1, vanderschelden, uleko has marked this note useful
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To joey: EmailJamesp 2 06-18 08:30
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2613 W: 133 N: 7504] (23403)
  • [2008-06-17 8:14]

Hello James,
We are neighbours today!
To snooze while your portrait is being taken is the height of impertinence! But it is a fine capture and a great slide scan.
TFS this fine image,
Ivan

Hello James
Excellent shot of this cool snoozing Magellanic Penguin :)
Well done!
TFS
Ralf

  • Great 
  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2351 W: 61 N: 3811] (12226)
  • [2008-06-17 8:41]

Hi James,
Cute :o) White parts are well exposed, good POV and pose. TFS
Best wishes

Hi James,
What a cute Magellanic Penguin:P lovely posture and great details my friend! TFS.
Cheers,

Bayram

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 353 W: 3 N: 376] (1127)
  • [2008-06-17 8:48]

Hi James,anks for posting.
Funny shot.Well caught,framed and composed.DOF and details are also wonderful.
Thanks for posting.

You alone can show the difference...and I now know first hand how much difference a slide scanned from a pictured image on a good printer:-) changes....very nice image...
bob

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3043 W: 148 N: 4547] (14679)
  • [2008-06-17 9:38]

Hi James.
What a solid man (? or beautiful woman) you have pictured. Terrific reproduction of all its details and features. I wish to have such fine costume too. Outstanding of quality image. My compliments and kind regards.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1788 W: 8 N: 4639] (15001)
  • [2008-06-17 9:56]

Hi James,

What a nice neighbor I have today! Probably the only place where a Penguin and a Roadrunner would be found side by side. I have never seen a live penguin and probably never will so it's so nice you posted this very interesting close-up. I love the pose, the wonderful colors and the excellent details.

Jane

Hello James,
Nicely captured of the proud standing Penguin!
good exposure and focus with a good notes
many thanks for the sharing
cheers
Tony

Hi James,

Nice scanned picture, I cannot be seen that's scanned.
Good colors and details.

Gert

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1993 W: 5 N: 5571] (21050)
  • [2008-06-17 11:47]

Hi James. That must be some sight some half a million birds. and a smell too. Your picture shows the black band around its chest makes it look like t has a shirt on. good detail in the smooth looking coat. taken seven years ago you have been taking pictures for a long time. TFS.
Nick..

Hello James, wonderful and cute penguin with lovely pose. TFS.
Regards, Bahadır

  • Great 
  • Luis52 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1022 W: 5 N: 2802] (10144)
  • [2008-06-17 13:51]

Hola James.
Dese hace tiempo admiro a los Pinguinos, son muy bellos y su forma de caminar. Estas aves son muy bellas. La imagen muy bien lograda y la informacion de la nota escrita es de gran calidad.
Saludos James.
Luis52.

Hi James,

Excellent Penguine picture. They are just marvellous creatures. Very good pose and composition. Details and colours are very well preserved from the slide.

TFS

Pekka

  • Great 
  • clnaef Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 763 W: 58 N: 631] (6502)
  • [2008-06-17 22:50]

Bonjour,
Belle utilisation du flou et net.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

Hello James,
Not easy to be a Magellanic penguin these days apparently.
Good work!
TFS
Annick

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1696 W: 242 N: 5596] (19883)
  • [2008-06-18 2:00]
  • [+]

Haha! Nice shot, James!
Even Penguins can be lazy :-)
Great overall quality, superb composition, excellent eye-level POV, perfect exposure.

Well done!

Joe

p.s did you get my Dad's email?

hello James

excellent shot of this Penguin with fine POV, DOF and appropriate
vertical framing, excellent sharpness and details, i love his Penguin
style funny pose, TFS

Asbed

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-06-18 19:59]

Hello James

Excellent detail in this image.The textures really show well.
Very well exposed with lovely natural colours.
The plumage detail and markings show well.
Your pov is great ,like you managed to creep right up to him.
TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2468 W: 168 N: 7464] (23588)
  • [2008-06-18 22:02]

Hello James,
Very fine capture of this straight-backed fellow nicely in focus and against a soft background!
TFS and regards, Ulla

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