Wednesday, June 27, 2012

The Penquin

WHEN OUR JANUARY WINDS BLOW COLD I AM ALWAYS REMINDED OF THE BIRD I MOST ASSOCIATE WITH ICE AND SNOW. 
 
 YES, A PENGUIN IS A BIRD. IT IS AN ANIMAL THAT HAS FEATHERS AND IS WARM BLOODED. IT HATCHES FROM AN EGG AND HAS A BACKBONE. IT HAS A BEAK, TWO LEGS, AND TWO WINGS. ANCESTORS OF PENGUINS PROBABLY WERE ABLE TO FLY BUT TODAY'S PENGUINS FLY ONLY UNDER WATER. THEIR AVERAGE SWIMMING SPEED IS 15 MILES PER HOUR. PENGUINS LIVE ONLY BELOW THE EQUATOR. SOME COME ASHORE ON ANTARCTICA, FRIGID HOME OF THE SOUTH POLE . OTHER PENGUINS DO NOT LIVE IN COLD PLACES. THEY ARE FOUND ON THE COASTS AND ISLANDS OF SOUTH AMERICA, AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, AND NEW ZEALAND. 
 
 THERE ARE 17 SPECIES OF PENGUINS AND NO TWO ARE EXACTLY ALIKE. SOME HAVE ORANGE HEAD TUFTS THAT LOOK LIKE CRAZY EYEBROWS. SOME HAVE BUSHY TAILS. SOME ARE AGGRESSIVE AND OTHERS ARE MILD-MANNERED. 
 
 PENGUINS EAT FISH,,CRUSTACEANS,SQUID AND KRILL. KRILL ARE TINY SHRIMPLIKE ANIMALS FOUND IN ENORMOUS NUMBERS AND PENGUINS EAT TONS OF KRILL EVERY DAY. SURROUNDED BY SALTWATER, PENGUINS CAN'T GET FRESH WATER TO DRINK. THEIR BODIES MAKE FRESH WATER FOR THEM. THEY HAVE A GLAND THAT REMOVES THE SALT FROM THE WATER AND RELEASES IT THROUGH GROOVES IN THEIR BILL. 
 
 MOST PENGUINS STICK TO THE SAME PARTNER. ALL PENGUIN PAIRS SING A DUET AS PART OF THEIR COURTING DISPLAY, AND IT IS NOT JUST FOR ENTERTAINMENT. THEY LEARN TO RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER'S VOICE. IT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF LOOK-ALIKES IN A ROOKERY. CHICKS AND PARENTS RECOGNIZE EACH OTHER'S CALLS AND ALWAYS FIND ONE ANOTHER. EVEN WHILE THE CHICK IS BREAKING OUT OF ITS EGG, IT IS CALLING SO ITS PARENTS WILL GET TO KNOW ITS VOICE. 
 
 PENGUINS USUALLY LAY ONE EGG BUT MAY LAY TWO , SOMETIMES ONLY ONE SURVIVES. AS SOON AS EGGS ARE LAID, THE FEMALE HEADS FOR THE SEA TO FIND FOOD. THE MALE STAYS WITH THE EGGS. BY THE TIME THE FEMALE RETURNS, THE MALES HAVEN'T EATEN FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS. THEN IT'S HIS TURN TO EAT WHILE SHE STAYS WITH THE EGG. FOOD FOR CHICKS COMES STRAIGHT FROM A PARENT'S MOUTH. THE ADULTS RETURN WITH UNDIGESTED FOOD STORED IN THEIR CROP, A SPECIAL POUCH IN THE THROAT. A CHICK FITS ITS BILL INSIDE THE ADULT'S MOUTH TO RECEIVE THE FOOD. AN EMPEROR PARENT MAY DELIVER SEVEN POUNDS OF FOOD AT A TIME TO ITS CHICK. MALE KING PENGUINS HAVE BEEN FOUND TO PRESERVE FOOD IN THEIR STOMACHS FOR UP TO THREE WEEKS IN ORDER TO FEED IT TO NEWLY HATCHED CHICKS. 
 
 PENGUINS ARE NOISY, SOCIAL CREATURES. THEY WILL GLADLY TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER'S YOUNG. MOST PENGUINS ARE MATURE AT 4 YEARS OF AGE AND THEY LIVE BETWEEN 25 AND 30 YEARS. 

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