Adélie Penguin

Feathers from an Adélie Penguin are highly specialized for an aquatic, polar life. Unlike the long vanes of flighted birds, these are short, stiff 'scales' that create a dense, waterproof tuxedo. The bird itself is a medium-sized penguin with a distinctive white ring around its eyes.

Uniform charcoal black to bluish-black on the dorsal side; ventral feathers are pure white. Individual feathers are mono-tonal.

Densely packed, stiffened pennaceous distal end with a short plumulaceous (downy) base for insulation.

Extremely stiff, smooth, and scale-like; has a glossy, oily finish due to heavy preening with uropygial gland oil.

Waterproof stiffness, short spatulate shape, and absence of long filaments typical of flight feathers.

Antarctic coastlines, pack ice, and rocky nesting islands during the breeding season.

Circumpolar distribution throughout the Antarctic continent and surrounding islands; rarely found north of the Antarctic Convergence.

High-level consumer of krill and small fish; serves as a vital indicator species for Antarctic ecosystem health and sea ice trends.

Chinstrap Penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) or Gentoo Penguin (Pygoscelis papua); distinguishable mainly by very subtle size differences and collection location.

Adélie penguins are among the most southerly breeding birds in the world and can dive to depths of 175 meters in search of krill.

Likely a molted specimen; Adélie penguins undergo a catastrophic molt once a year where they lose all feathers at once.

South Pole