Penguin of the Galápagos, Guia de Fauna. RutaChile

Familia: Spheniscidae
Genero: Spheniscus
Nombre Cientifico: mendiculus

Local name: Galapagos penguin, Galápagos booby bird

Classified as one of the smallest species, Galapagos penguins are very interesting. They weigh no more than 2.5 kilos when they are well developed and only reach 20 cm in height.

They have a bicolor coat that appears in black in fins, back, legs and head, with a white chest and a thin line of the same color and in a "C" shape, which runs through the throat and the lateral part of each eye. On the chest there are dark bands and patches in the form of irregularly distributed dots. The bill is straight, long, thin and mostly black, but contains parts without plumage that gives it a pinkish hue.

The wings, which, rather, are as rigid as fins, are long and are essential for them to move through the water. On the contrary, the legs are very short and this causes that their walking is not very skillful in firm ground, so they extend their wings to balance themselves.

Habitat: The penguins are characterized for occupying latitudes of the southern hemisphere of the Earth, but the penguins of the Galapagos break with tradition. Its endemic location in the archipelago of the Galapagos, Ecuador, makes them the northernmost species, reaching waters both on the south side and the north side of the planet.

Countries where lives Pingüino de las Galápagos

ECUADOR