Image courtesy of Jean Pennycook

From: Jean Pennycook
Cape Royds, Antarctica, November 18, 2007

Adelie Penguins Return to Cape Royds

Today, Nov 18, 2007, we arrived at the Adelie Penguin breeding colony at Cape Royds on Ross Island, Antarctica. This year about 2000 pairs of penguins have decided to build their nests and raise their chicks here. In early November the males come ashore, build the nests out of small rocks and then wait patiently for the females to arrive. When we visited the colony today, we found many pairs had already reunited and produced an egg. Others had reunited but were waiting for the first egg to be laid. And still unmated males were bowing to every unattached female who walked by hoping to woo her into selecting his nest for her egg laying.

To learn more about these birds go to penguinscience.com

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Postcards from the Field: Adelie Penguins 2007

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