African Penguin - Description

Description

African Penguins grow to 68–70 cm (26.7–27.5 in) tall and weigh between 2 and 5 kg (4.4 and 11 lb). They have a black stripe and black spots on the chest, the pattern of spots being unique for every penguin, like human fingerprints. They have pink glands above their eyes, which are used for thermoregulation. The hotter the penguin gets, the more blood is sent to these glands so it may be cooled by the surrounding air, thus making the glands more pink. This species exhibits slight sexual dimorphism: the males are larger than the females and have larger beaks. The beak is more pointed than that of the Humboldt. Their distinctive black and white colouring is a vital form of camouflage called countershading– white for underwater predators looking upwards and black for predators looking down onto the dark water. African penguins look very similar to the Humboldt penguins. African penguins have a very recognizable appearance with a thick band of black that is in the shape of an upside-down horseshoe. They have unique black spots that vary in size and shape per penguin. Magellanic Penguins share a similar characteristic that often confuses the two, the similarity is a double bar on the throat and chest. The penguins have the nickname, the "Jackass penguin", they got their nickname from the loud noises they make. They stand about 27 inches (60 cm tall) and weigh from 7 to 11 lbs. (2.5 to 5 kg).

Read more about this topic:  African Penguin

Famous quotes containing the word description:

    He hath achieved a maid
    That paragons description and wild fame;
    One that excels the quirks of blazoning pens.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    Once a child has demonstrated his capacity for independent functioning in any area, his lapses into dependent behavior, even though temporary, make the mother feel that she is being taken advantage of....What only yesterday was a description of the child’s stage in life has become an indictment, a judgment.
    Elaine Heffner (20th century)

    Why does philosophy use concepts and why does faith use symbols if both try to express the same ultimate? The answer, of course, is that the relation to the ultimate is not the same in each case. The philosophical relation is in principle a detached description of the basic structure in which the ultimate manifests itself. The relation of faith is in principle an involved expression of concern about the meaning of the ultimate for the faithful.
    Paul Tillich (1886–1965)