Juvenile penguins
venture out to sea the first time after losing their baby feathers.
The penguin is an intriguing bird native to the colder regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Although penguins relish fish, krill, and squid as food, each penguin species has specific food preferences. This variation in food habits aids in decreasing the probability of rivalry among the species for food. Penguin chicks are fed by both parents. Once the chicks undergo the first molt of feathers, they venture out to sea and learn to hunt and survive.
Hunting Abilities
Penguins learn to hunt through instincts and through trial and error. Juvenile penguins learn to hunt fast, as their survival depends on it. Although penguins are fast learners and very soon imbibe the ability to hunt and to defend themselves from predators, a large proportion of juveniles lose their lives while developing this independence.
Depending upon the species, juvenile penguins either return ashore at night after the hunt, or stay in the water until the requirement of breeding crops up. Penguins make good use of their speed and sharp eyesight for catching their prey. Although penguins lack teeth, their beaks have sharp edges, and spines lining their mouth and tongue prevent prey from slipping away.
Hunting Areas
Some penguins travel large distances in search of their preferred prey. The Ad lie penguin is known to travel more than 550 miles in search of food, and emperor penguins go more than 900 miles. However, certain varieties do not travel far for food, instead using seal holes in the ice.
Diet
Ad lie penguins prefer smaller varieties of krill, and chinstrap penguins gorge on the larger forms. Fish and squids form the food of emperor and king penguins. Food preferences among penguins are also influenced by their location. Penguins in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic generally eat krill and squid, and those farther north prefer fish.
Molting
After hatching, chicks rely on their parents for basic food requirements. This dependency continues until they molt and develop waterproof feathers. This could take anywhere between seven weeks to 13 months, depending on the species. In most species, once the chick acquires the waterproof feathers, it can venture out into the water and fend for itself. But some species, such as gentoo, remain dependent on their parents for food for about a month after molting.
Related posts
Macaroni penguins live in Arctic habitats.The macaroni penguin is a crested penguin with orange feather plumes on its head. The upperparts and face are black, contrasting the white underparts. The...
About Little Blue Fairy PenguinsRecognized as the smallest penguin species in the world, the Little Blue Fairy Penguin is also the most commonly found penguin in New Zealand. With their striking b...
Fairy penguins are also known as little bluesFairy penguins, as their name suggests, are the smallest of the penguins, making them particularly cute and appealing to kids. You can help your child...
Cocktails come in a variety of colors and tastes.The word "cocktail" is a generic term used to describe virtually any kind of mixed alcoholic drink. There are hundreds of kinds of cockta...
Immature penguins are usually colored and marked differently than adults.Penguins are flightless birds that are better adapted to water than land. The Antarctic emperor penguin is the largest of a...
