Macaroni penguins live mostly on the Subantarctic islands. There are millions of them on Heard Island and South Georgia. The average length is 70 centimetres and they weigh 4.5 kilogram. They owe their strange name to the yellow crests. In the 18th century there were young English travellers who, to boast that had been in far Italy, dressed themselves rather fashionable. They wore hats with feathers and they dyed their hair. These persons were scornfully called the macaroni dandies. When British polar explorers encountered these penguins for the first time they were reminded of the plumed hats and funny haircuts of the 'Macaronis'. Macaroni penguins incubate on slopes, exposed to weather and wind. They lay two eggs, of which one is half the size of the other. The first egg rarely is successful. After 35 days the second egg is hatched out. During the first week the proud father watch over the chick while the female is looking for krill in the sea. Early January both parents look for food. In March the young birds leave the colony.

Geographic Distribution