Appearance
The length of the body of this bird varies from 55 to 60 cm, the weight remains within 2-5 kg. The color of the body and head is black, the stomach of the bird is white. There are white spots on the muzzle. There are yellow stripes similar to crosses on the beak. Featers of bright yellow in color pass from the red and massive beak of birds to the crown.
Sexual dimorphism in this species is not expressed in any way.
Where they live
Penguins inhabit the islands of Solander and Solister in New Zealand.
What they eat
Fulfilled penguins eat small fish and crayfish, representatives of cephalopods of mollusks.
Natural enemies
For thickkept penguins, ferrets with seals and even large fish are dangerous.
Seeds enemies for thickkept penguins
Population
The population is reduced, but ornithologists consider it a stable. To date, only 2,500 pairs are left. Therefore, the birds stopped contact with relatives and do not adjust to each other.
Reproduction
Tolstobid penguins become sexually mature at the age of 5-6 years.
The propagation period starts in midJuly. From the very beginning of this season, males begin to gather on a particular part of the island. A little later, females arrive there.
In the evening, mating occurs and mating. Then, almost immediately females make masonry. Parents force masonry alternately. Running lasts about a month or two. There are usually 2 eggs in one masonry, the second is much less than the first. Usually only one penguin survives, more hardy. Since it is he who loves to take food from the younger, the chicks often have fights. Scientists believe that the second egg is a kind of insurance, because one egg can be unfertilized.
Due to the fact that thick-cloudy penguins do not like to settle in open places, they build nests in the cracks between the rocks, burrows of other species or under the fallen trees. Often the ideal place for the “home” has to be sought at an altitude of more than 50 m above sea level. Usually the nests are in the southwest of the island. This helps to protect yourself from a ferret, which not only attacks adults, but also actively hunt the eggs of the Penguins Victoria.
In the first few weeks of life, the male actively protects his family, his grayish penguin. He does not depart from the baby for a minute and screams, scaring the predators. The father of the family also waves wings and pokes his massive beak in the face of the enemy. Mom feeds a male with a cub.
Когда детёныш достигает годовалого возраста, самка с самцом уходят обратно, к океану. The kid is either left alone, or with his peers.
The first molt of the penguin occurs when the baby is 2 months old. Only after that can he take part in the extraction of food.
Lifestyle
In the afternoon, thickcloudy penguins do not go out in the sun and rest in shelters, but they show increased activity in the evening.
Migration
Victoria penguins overcome from 500 to 2500 km in search of food. They often come to Tasmania.
