Penguin standing on rocks by a sea with icebergs and two small boats of people
Antarctica,  Bird place of the month,  Birds,  Travel galleries

Gallery: the penguins of Antarctica

Ellen DeGeneres

For this month’s Bird Place challenge I thought it would be fun to share some images of the penguins we encountered on that long ago (2003) trip.

We saw three different species during our time on and around the Antarctic Peninsula: Chinstrap, Gentoo and a few Adelie penguins. However I only have photos of the first two of these. It is very obvious how the Chinstraps got their name. Meanwhile the Gentoos are the ones that appear to be wearing headphones!

What these photos can’t show you is just how smelly it is in a penguin colony. A diet of nothing but fish has a perhaps unsurprising impact on what emerges at the other end of the bird! And the problem is compounded in breeding season when they spend a lot of time in the same spot on the ice. So if you were wondering about those pinky-brown stains, yup, that’s penguin poo! Wellington boots are essential attire, and must be thoroughly sluiced down and left in the boot room when you reboard the ship.

Note: these images are all scanned from old slides and while tidied up still leave something to be desired in terms of clarity and colour balance!

Lots of adult penguins and chicks on a rocky outcrop

Chinstrap colony


Pair of penguins on rocky ground

Chinstrap couple


Penguin feeding two fluffy chicks

Chinstrap parent feeding babies


Penguin walking

Chinstrap penguin heading for the sea


Lots of penguins, some with chicks

Gentoo colony


Penguin on rocky ground
Penguin on rocky ground

Penguin portrait in profile

Gentoo penguin


Penguin with snow falling

Penguin on rocky ground

Gentoo penguin just out of the sea


Penguin standing on rocks by a sea with icebergs and two small boats of people

A Gentoo watching for fresh visitors to arrive?

I visited Antarctic in 2003

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