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A photo of a Adelie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)
Adelie Penguin

Adelie Penguin

Pygoscelis adeliae

The Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) is a species of penguin common along the entire coast of the Antarctic continent, which is the only place where it is found. It is the most widespread penguin species, and, along with the emperor penguin, is the most southerly distributed of all penguins. It is named after Adélie Land, in turn named for Adèle Dumont d'Urville, who was married to French explorer Jules Dumont d'Urville, who first discovered this penguin in 1840. Adélie penguins obtain their food by both predation and foraging, with a diet of mainly krill and fish. The Adélie penguin is a mid-sized bird, measuring 70–73 cm in length and weighing 3.8 to 8.2 kg. Although the sexes look the same, females have shorter wings and beaks, and weigh significantly less. The adult is black on the head, throat and upperparts, with snowy white underparts. It has a conspicuous white eye ring around a black iris. The beak is largely covered with black feathers, leaving only the tip exposed; this is primarily black, though it can show indistinct reddish-brown markings. The upper surface of the wing is black with a white trailing edge, while the underside is white with a narrow black leading edge and a small black tip. The legs and feet, which are mostly unfeathered, are pinkish.
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Adelie Penguins on Birda

Photos

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Tim Steer
Tim Steer
Thursday 17 Nov 2022 - 2:30pm
United Kingdom
A photo of a Adelie Penguin photographed in  Antarctica
🦅
Elizabeth Redpath
Saturday 03 Jul 2021 - 10:09pm
Antarctica
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Rajh
Rajh
Monday 17 Dec 2018 - 6:36am
Antarctica
A map showing the sighting location
Profile picture for Grace Kinney Broderick
Grace Kinney Broderick
Wednesday 31 Dec 2014 - 9:00am
Antarctica
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