What a great experience it was to view the thousands of Magellanic penguins that call this island their summer home. Lots of penguins, like 150,000 were on the Magellana island, and many were keeping their baby chicks warm while they grow strong enough to feed on their own. The humans have to stay on a roped off path, but the penguins are free to roam where they want to. They often make holes (nests) relatively close to the walking path. They were active and were quite fun to watch going about their business. This was our first tour from Patagonia. We departed at 7am by small boat from Punta Arenas that took 45 minutes to reach Magellana Island, the home of these 150,000 plus 2 penguins. We were very fortunate as the wind had died down and the boat ride was smooth.
Magellanic penguins are medium-sized penguins which grow to be 24-30 inches tall and weigh 6-14 pounds. The males are larger than the females, and the weight of both drops while the parents nurture their young.
Adults have black backs and white abdomens. There are two black bands between the head and the breast, with the lower band shaped in an inverted horseshoe. The head is black with a broad white border that runs from behind the eye, around the black ear-coverts and chin, and joins at the throat. Chicks and younger penguins have grey-blue backs, with a more faded grey-blue color on their chest. Magellanic penguins can live up to 25 years in the wild, but as much as 30 years in captivity.
The “rock star” penguins (they had sunglasses on, so they must be rock stars) were just walking in circles, laughing gleefully. Since they have discovered great South American food, you should see them waddle! No, forget that thought, you will never get it out of your mind.
