Macaroni Penguin: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Penguins and Puffins · day 5 of 7

Five facts

1. No other seabird takes more from the sea: macaroni penguins eat an estimated 9.2 million tonnes of krill each year.
2. Their dives usually reach 15 to 70 m, sometimes 100 m, and each dive can net 4 to 16 krill.
3. With about 18 million birds, the macaroni is the most numerous penguin. Its colonies can reach 100,000 birds.
4. A 2009 study tracked macaroni penguins from Kerguelen as they travelled over 10,000 km in the central Indian Ocean.
5. English sailors apparently named it after its yellow crest, which looked like the showy 'macaroni' fashion of their day.

The quiz

1. What do macaroni penguins eat in huge amounts?

• Sea urchins
• Krill (correct)
• Herring
• Seaweed

They eat an estimated 9.2 million tonnes of krill each year.

2. How many krill can a macaroni penguin catch per dive?

• 1 to 2
• 40 to 60
• 100 to 200
• 4 to 16 (correct)

Each dive can net 4 to 16 krill.

3. How big can a macaroni penguin colony swell?

• 100,000 birds (correct)
• 1,000 birds
• 10,000 birds
• 1 million birds

Colonies can swell to 100,000 birds.

4. Which ocean did Kerguelen macaroni penguins cross in the 2009 study?

• The Atlantic Ocean
• The Pacific Ocean
• The Indian Ocean (correct)
• The Arctic Ocean

They travelled over 10,000 km in the central Indian Ocean.

5. What apparently inspired the macaroni penguin's name?

• Its love of pasta
• Its yellow crest, like a fashion of the time (correct)
• Its loud call
• The island where it was found

Sailors apparently named it after its yellow crest, which looked like the fashionable 'macaroni' style.

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