Why Migrate?

Magellanic Penguins are living along the warm and beautiful coast of South America—why would they migrate?

Migration

To combat the low food source availability in the wintering months of southern South America, Magellanic penguins migrate northwards to Chile and Peru (Pütz, 2007).

Traveling at an astonishing speed of 15 miles per hour, this species propels itself with its flippers to cover upwards of 100 miles (161 kilometers per hour) underwater per day (García-Borboroglu, 2006). Depending on geographic locality, migrational round-trip distance can total to 4000 miles (6000 kilometers) annually (Pütz, 2007).

Physiology

With a sleek body, dapt flippers and webbed feet, the Magellanic penguin is a fabulous swimmer. Covering up to 107 miles per day at a booming speed of 22 mph, this penguin was built for travel. Migration is an important part of foraging during the wintering months.

Body structure of Magellanic penguins are suitable for lengthy foraging hours and prolonged distances in the water (García-Borboroglu, 2006). A pelagic species, 75% of their lives are spent navigating the ocean for food and migration (García-Borboroglu, 2006).

With a compact and hydrodynamic body, these penguins have adapted physiologically advantageous features for prolonged swimming distances: long flippers, webbed feet, and specialized eyesight for maneuvering the sea (Pütz, 2007).

As aerial birds have hollow bone structure to assist during flight, the pelagic penguin has dense, fused bones to deter buoyancy during swims (García-Borboroglu, 2006). A Magellanic penguin is capable of being submerged for up to 180 seconds, and may reach a dive depth of 151 feet—while the most extensive depth recorded was approximately 320 feet (Pütz, 2007).