Transcript Adelie Penguin Adapt

Adelie Penguin
Adaptations
Although birds,
they cannot fly.
Living near a continent
that is 98% covered with ice,
they must find bare land
with small rocks to build a
nest and raise their young.
Adelie Penguins flourish in
a harsh environment.
FEET
Adelie Penguin feet turn pink when they
walk or just after swimming. This is because
at this time, they need to expel heat because
they don’t sweat. Blood goes to this area
during exercise and this makes their feet
pink.
When standing, Adelie feet are whitish,
because less blood flows to them when
they are not exercising. This helps them
to conserve heat.
This parent is holding the egg on its
feet to keep it warm.
FEET
Their strong feet and nails grip the rocks
allowing them to make the climb to their
breeding colony.
Parents nestle new born chicks on
their feet which are warmer than the
rocks underneath.
FEET
Adelie penguins use their strong feet, toe nails and
legs to push themselves as they slide along the ice on
the belly. This is called “tobogganing”.
Here you can see the bone structure of
penguin legs and how they are positioned
when they stand.
WINGS
The underside of an Adelie's wing is
covered by very small and compact
white feathers. When the penguin
has not been walking or swimming
the color appears white
This penguin has just come out of the
water where it was using its wings to
swim. It is, therefore, hot when it
emerges onto land. More blood has
gone to the skin on the underside of
its wings to help to expel this heat and
therefore the wing appears pink.
WINGS
The ancestors of penguins flew both in the air and in the sea, just like auks (Northern
Hemisphere) and shearwaters (Southern Hemisphere) do today. In fact , the closest nonpenguin ancestor of penguins are the shearwaters, a family of birds that includes the
most abundant of all seabirds. Penguins lost their ability to fly in the air when, through
evolution, by changing their wings into paddles they became more successful at
catching fish. It is far more strenuous to fly in water than in air, however, so penguins
need to have abundant food close by in order to survive. The pictures show the difference
between a wing meant for flying in the air (skua), and one designed to fly in the water
(penguin).
Beak & Mouth
Besides catching food, Adelie Penguins use
their beak to carry rocks to the nesting site and
to arrange them into a raised structure (their
nest) that will keep the eggs and chicks from
either rolling away, or getting wet when rivulets
of water form as nearby snow banks melt.
Since they have no
teeth, these
backward facing
spines on this
bird’s tongue help
keep the prey in its
mouth and guide it
down the penguin’s
throat. The top of
the mouth has the
same soft spines to
help guide the food
towards the
penguin's stomach.
When an Adelie Penguin is
staring straight at you or
another penguin , it is not
happy about you or the other
bird's presence. This is a
display called a Direct Stare.
It may charge at any
minute.
EYES
The white 'eye ring' is very important for
individual and species recognition.
This penguin has
rolled its eye
downward so that
its iris is hidden.
This penguin is
somewhat agitated
about a neighbor
and will likely go
into a display
advertising this
displeasure even
more forcefully.
BODY
Adelie Penguin bodies are fusiform in shape, tapered at each end and very
hydrodynamic. Studies have shown the penguin form to be the most
hydrodynamic of all marine creatures, meaning they need to use less energy
to dive. They fly in the water by the up and down movement of their wings
(shaped like paddles), with both the up and down stroke providing power. In
flighted birds, power is exerted only on the down stroke. Penguins float on the
surface of the water but do not use their feet to paddle like ducks and other
water fowl.
FEATHERS
Notice the large amount of downy material near
the base of the feather. This provides a thick
warm undercoat. The other (left) end is very
stiff providing the waterproof covering which
keeps the penguin dry.
These more puffy feathers are from
the penguins head, where it can
raise and lower a crest depending on
what mood it is in.
FEATHERS
The bird on the left has fluffed himself up in order to stay warmer. Air, warmed by the
skin, can move among these feathers, trapped between the skin and the outer ends of
the feathers. This is the same principle as that of a down jacket or down comforter that
people use. The bird on the right has released most of the air between its feathers,
giving him a sleeker and thinner look. This bird is ready for action.
FEATHERS
The wind has blown this
Adelie’s feathers apart. You
can see the thick layer of
down, which lies underneath
the strong compacted tips of
the outer contour feathers.
These outer feathers are
almost like fish scales and
keep the water away from the
downy layer.
Adelie Penguins’ tails are long, compared to
other penguin species, and have stiff feathers.
Walking wears these feathers, as they drag
along the ice or rocks. They use their tail to help
steer in the water, allowing them to make hairpin turns. They also use their tail to prop
themselves up while they are sitting back on
their heels, keeping their toes nestled in their
feathers.
This Adelie is standing on a
slope of rock and is using its
tail to maintain balance.
TAIL
Near the tail is a gland that
secrets oil. When Adelie
penguins preen they use the oil
to keep their feathers water proof.
PREENING
Preening is an activity used by many birds to
groom their feathers. Penguin feathers are exposed
to cold winds, icy water, and lots of dirt, but
must serve as a penguin's protection against
these elements. Preening maintains the feathers'
water- and wind-proofing ability.
Fluffing and separating the feathers, while
spreading the oil around, is part of the
preening process. With oil on its beak, the
penguin gently bites groups of feathers, which
removes any dried dirt and leaves the oil on
them.