article thumbnail

Why Do Penguins Wear Tuxedos?

10,000 Birds

Artists rendition of Inkayacu paracasensis There are 17 living species of penguins, which make up their own Linnean family (Spheniscidae), which is the only family in the order Sphenisciformes. You may think of penguins as cold-adapted and they are, but there are penguins living in temperate and tropical areas as well.

Penguins 191
article thumbnail

Far From Land: The Mysterious Lives of Seabirds–A Book Review

10,000 Birds

Scientists were largely limited to studies birds in breeding colonies, at least those we knew about and that were accessible (and, if you think that’s a complete list, you haven’t read the news that came out this week about a new colony of Adélie penguins found in the Danger Islands, Antarctica). Technology to the rescue!

Albatross 114
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Trending Sources

article thumbnail

Untamed Americas

4 The Love Of Animals

In a rarely filmed event, see newly awakened black bears go on the hunt for newborn elk calves. Then travel to the Rockies, for a ringside seat as male bighorn sheep go head-to-head in a bloody battle for breeding rights. Then go to the Atacama Desert where Humboldt penguins raise families in the driest place on earth.

America 100
article thumbnail

Best Bird of the Year 2014

10,000 Birds

I got to see a beautiful female and owlet on a trip to a secret nest location near Howard Prairie Lake (human-made nest structures have enhanced local breeding for these huge owls whose nest success is boosted to 83% on artificial platforms vs. 66% at natural sites). Donna’s BBOTY – an African Penguin.

2014 187
article thumbnail

Where to See Kiwi (and other birds) During the Rugby World Cup

10,000 Birds

This is a good place to see the endangered and beautiful Yellowhead and the endemic Yellow-eyed Penguin. Along with the Northern Royal Albatrosses the peninsula also has a good population of Yellow-eyed Penguin, and you don’t have to get on a boat to see either! Yellow-eyed Penguin at Otago Peninsula.

article thumbnail

What the Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds: A Book Review

10,000 Birds

What the Owl Knows is organized into nine chapters: introduction, adaptation (including vision and flight), research and researchers, vocalization, courtship and breeding, roosting and migration, cognition, and two chapters on owls and humans–captive owls (not zoos, educational owls) and owls in our cultural history.

Owls 209
article thumbnail

Africa’s endangered species

10,000 Birds

Image by Adam Riley Of the 115 African species now listed as Endangered or Critically Endangered, nearly half occur on the islands surrounding Africa or are non-breeding migrants to Africa. There has been growth in the breeding population at the colonies in Morocco (now estimated at 106 breeding pairs and approximately 500 birds in total).