photo: au.gov

Description: The recognizable Chinstrap Penguin is black above and white below. It has a conspicuous, diagonal black stripe that extends from the cap, through the throat, under the bill, and to the other side of the cap. From the front, it looks as if the penguin is wearing a helmet.

The Chinstrap Penguin is one of the smaller penguin species and grows to a height of about 27 inches and weighs 9 to 14 pounds. Despite its small size, the Chinstrap is one of the more aggressive penguin species and will frequently drive away other penguins. Like most penguins, the Chinstrap is a powerful swimmer and can dive to great depths and swim as fast as 20 miles per hour. On land, they often slide across the ice and snow on their bellies.

Diet: Krill, crustaceans, fish.

Range: The Chinstrap Penguin nests on many sub-Antarctic islands including the South Orkneys, South Shetland, South Georgia, Bouvet Island, South Sandwich, Balleny, Peter I Island and the Antarctic Peninsula.

Nesting: Female Chinstrap Penguins make nests from stones and pebbles. She lays two eggs that are incubated by both her and her mate in five to ten day shifts. The eggs hatch in about five weeks. The parents care for the chicks for about four weeks, before the young penguins join other young penguins in a creche (huddle) for warmth and protection.

Status: The Chinstrap Penguin is probably the most numerous of all penguins with an estimated 7.5 million breeding pairs.