The Gentoo Penguin is the third largest penguin and also has the largest breeding range of any penguin species. Gentoos are a member of the brush-tailed group of penguins.
Common Name: Gentoo Penguin
Scientific name: Pygoscelis papua
Population: 400,000 breeding pairs
Weight: 5 kg – 8 kg, 51 cm – 90 cm
Lifespan: 12-15 years
Conservation status: Least Concern
Population Trend: Stable
Geographic Breeding Range: Antarctic Peninsula; Australia (Macquarie Is.); Falkland Islands; French Southern Territories (Kerguelen, Crozet Is.); Heard Island and McDonald Islands; South Africa (Marion-Prince Edward Is.); South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands; Chile
Gentoo Penguin with its chicks
Gentoo Penguins with their chicks
Prey/diet: Crustaceans, fish and cephalopods.
Distinguishing physical characteristics: Face and head are black with a white patch above each eye that meets at the top of the head. Bill is yellow to orange, with a thin strip of black along the top of the upper mandible, legs and feet are similarly yellow to orange. Eyes are brown with a white eye ring. Tail feathers longer than any other penguin species.
Interesting tidbit about Gentoo Penguins: Gentoo Penguins are not believed to migrate and remain nearby their colony all year long.
Gentoo Penguin
population trends:
Gentoo Penguin Conservation Status:
Least Concern
Gentoo Penguin Range Map
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