Gentoo Penguin: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Penguins and Puffins · day 6 of 7

Five facts

1. Gentoos build nests from piles of stones, up to 20 cm high and 25 cm wide, and guard every stone jealously.
2. Stones are precious to gentoos: a male can win a female's favour by offering her a choice pebble.
3. Underwater, gentoos are the speed champions of the penguin world, sprinting to 36 km/h (22 mph).
4. Gentoos grow a large salt gland above each eye. It turns salt into a briny solution that drips from the tip of the beak.
5. From June to October, a fish called the grey rockcod makes up 90% of the gentoo diet.

The quiz

1. How tall can a gentoo's stone nest be?

• About 2 cm
• About 1 m
• About 20 cm (correct)
• About 2 m

Gentoo stone nests can be 20 cm high and 25 cm across.

2. How can a male gentoo win a partner?

• By offering a choice pebble (correct)
• By singing the loudest
• By catching the biggest fish
• By building the tallest snow wall

A male can win a female's favour by offering her a choice pebble.

3. How fast can gentoos sprint underwater?

• 12 km/h
• 24 km/h
• 50 km/h
• 36 km/h (correct)

Gentoos sprint underwater at up to 36 km/h (22 mph).

4. Where does the salty liquid from a gentoo's salt gland drip from?

• The eyes
• The tip of the beak (correct)
• The flippers
• The feet

The salt gland sits above each eye and the briny solution drips from the tip of the beak.

5. What makes up 90% of a gentoo's diet from June to October?

• Krill
• Squid
• Grey rockcod (correct)
• Shrimp

From June to October, grey rockcod make up 90% of their diet.

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