Monday, March 11, 2013

Images of the Day (King Penguin Rookery)

Pictures capture penguin nursery in which thousands of huddled chicks wait for their parents to return with dinner

  • Huge group of emperor penguins pictured in South Georgia in Antarctica by photographer Mike Reyfman
By Daily Mail Reporter


With their parents in the sea catching fish, thousands of junior emperor penguins are left huddled together to await dinner.
But when their food-bearing parents return they may be presented with one slight problem - how to find their chick amongst the mass of youngsters.
Despite the thousands of youngsters crowded together on this plain in South Georgia, the parents are incredibly able to locate their youngsters by detecting their individual calls.

Take your pick: The huge group of emperor penguins pictured huddling together in South Georgia
Take your pick: The huge group of emperor penguins pictured huddling together in South Georgia

Odd one out: A lone adult is surrounded by chicks, still showing their brown downy feathers
Odd one out: A lone adult is surrounded by chicks, still showing their brown downy feathers

The young birds, displaying their brown, downy feathers, crowd together to keep warm while their parents leave en masse to fetch food.

Photographer Mike Reyfman travelled to the frozen wilderness for the first time to witness the huge gathering.
He said: 'There must be 100,000s of birds in these nurseries but each chick can be spotted by their mum or dad when they return with food simply by the sound of their voice.
 
'Penguin babies are gathered like this to keep warm from the extreme cold and because they cannot go out to sea yet as their feathers are not ready.
Mr Reyfman, 52, from Chicago, added: 'We spent two days following the flock and it was one the most incredible experiences of my life.'
He used a Nikon D4 to capture his images.

Where are you: A couple of adults on the edge of the group of chicks surveys the area after returning from the sea
Where are you: A couple of adults on the edge of the group of chicks surveys the area after returning from the sea 

Distinctive: The adults are able to locate their youngsters amongst the huge crowd by detecting their calls
Distinctive: The adults are able to locate their youngsters amongst the huge crowd by detecting their calls 

Penguin  
 
Penguin
Feeding time: A chick is treated to a mouthful of fish from its returning parent 

Bowing down: A young penguin looks like it is on the receiving end of a scolding from an adult
Bowing down: A young penguin looks like it is on the receiving end of a scolding from an adult
Dancing on ice: The young birds first sport brown, downy feathers before developing the more instinctive white, black and orange feathers of emperor penguins
Dancing on ice: The young birds first sport brown, downy feathers before developing the more instinctive white, black and orange feathers of emperor penguins

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