THE ANIMAL FILES

Macaroni penguin

Eudyptes chrysolophus

A feather change needs fuel before it begins.

Macaroni penguins grow a striking yellow crest as they mature and rely on marine prey such as krill, fish and squid. Annual moult interrupts feeding at sea, so birds build reserves before spending the feather-replacement period ashore.[1]

Follow the evidence ↓
Macaroni penguin
Image: Jerzy Strzelecki · Commons · CC BY 3.0
The growing crest
Immature birds have reduced yellow plumes.[1]
A feeding break during moult
Moult is spent ashore without feeding at sea.[1]
Local seas, changing prey
Krill, fish and squid proportions vary.[1]

The growing crest

Adults carry yellow feathers extending back from the forehead, above a dark head and pale underside. Young birds have smaller, duller bills and little or no developed crest. The familiar ornamental head is a mature feature, not the appearance at hatching.[1]

A feeding break during moult

Before moulting, penguins accumulate fat. During feather replacement they remain ashore and draw on reserves instead of undertaking normal foraging trips. Body mass therefore changes with the annual schedule, even in the same individual.[1]

Local seas, changing prey

Diet varies with locality and season. Krill can dominate breeding-season meals, while fish and cephalopods gain importance during chick-rearing. The prey taken depends on the waters used as well as the stage of the breeding cycle.[1]

A COMMON MIX-UP

Is a reduced yellow crest proof of a different species?

No. Immature macaroni penguins have reduced or undeveloped plumes.[1]

TRY A LITTLE REASONING

Why is feeding before moult especially useful?

Reveal the explanation

It builds fat reserves for the period ashore when normal sea feeding is suspended.[1]

Sources & editorial notes

Adapted and translated from the cited Wikipedia revisions, with source-linked reasoning. Image credit and licence are listed separately above.

Adapted and translated from Wikipedia contributors; exact revisions are linked below. CC BY-SA 4.0

  1. Wikipedia contributors — Macaroni penguin (cited revision)
  2. NCBI Taxonomy — Eudyptes chrysolophus

Last fact check:

One discovery leads to another

Great white pelicanA pouch takes in the water, then lets the water go.Pelecanus onocrotalus ↗Common loonExcellent underwater propulsion comes with an awkward walk ashore.Gavia immer ↗Blue-footed boobyBlue feet are part of the courtship display.Sula nebouxii ↗