Pygoscelis papua
Gentoo penguins live on temperate and Antarctic islands. They reach a height of 70 cm (27.5 in) and have a rather long tail. They feed on plankton and small fish and squid. They make circular nests out of stones, grass, or moss. The female gives birth to a couple of eggs. The first egg laid is larger than the second, and usually hatches first. They are the rarest of the penguins, with a total breeding population of approximately 314,000 pairs.
The above picture was taken at Indianapolis zoo, in April, 2001.
Genus Pygoscelis
Family Spheniscidae
Order Sphenisciformes
Class Aves
Subphylum Vertebrata
Phylum Chordata
Kingdom Animalia
Life on Earth
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