Chinstrap penguin
species of bird in the penguin family (Spheniscidae)
The chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) is a penguin species that inhabits various islands and shores in the Southern Pacific and the Antarctic Oceans. Its name stems from the narrow black band under its head, which makes it appear to wear a black helmet. Other common names include ringed penguin, bearded penguin, and stonecracker penguin. It is known for its loud, harsh call.
Taxonomy
This species was initially given the scientific name Aptenodytes antarctica by Johann Reinhold Forster in 1781, placing it in the same genus as the king and emperor penguins. In 1990, Graham Turbott transferred this species into the genus Pygoscelis, together with the Adélie and gentoo penguins. This gave it the new name P. antarctica. However, this is an orthographic error due to the disagreement in Latin grammar between Antarctica and its assigned genus. The corrected form, P. antarcticus, is the currently accepted name for this species.
Description
The chinstrap penguin grows to a length of 68–76 cm (27–30 in) and a weight of 3.2–5.3 kg (7.1–11.7 lb), varying with the time of year.
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The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 11, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q126643. The Library of Congress control number is sh87007248. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1781 and 1990.
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This entry incorporates text from “Chinstrap penguin” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.