Busy Beaked Builders: Penguins Pair Up and Prepare Nests at Shedd

At Shedd Aquarium, annual nesting season is in full swing, which means the penguin colony is busy gathering materials, building nests and pairing up with mates. Guests who visit Shedd in the next few weeks may get a unique glimpse at the natural life cycle of a penguin as the birds create their nests and may display courtship behaviors. For instance, guests may spot two penguins preening, or tidying each other’s feathers with their beaks, to establish a close partnership between the pair.

Pico and Douglas, the newest rockhopper penguins to join the colony at Shedd, hatched as a result of last year’s nesting season. While not all eggs laid are fertile or able to fully develop, there is always the possibility of a new chick joining the colony, and nesting season is a crucial step in the reproductive process for penguins.

Each spring, Shedd’s animal care team provides both the rockhopper and Magellanic penguins with rocks, lavender stalks and pieces of hose to mimic materials found in their native habitats for nest building. Animal caretakers also alter the light cycle of the penguin habitat to indicate the change in season.

Male penguins will sometimes take the lead on building nests, either to attract a female mate or reinforce an existing bond. Other times, both males and females will help build. Along with gathering lavender stalks and hose pieces, rockhopper penguins carefully select the best rocks for their nests and carry materials one-by-one in their beaks and may even steal rocks from other penguins in the colony. The female rockhoppers will then inspect the nests to choose their mate. If an egg is laid, the penguin parents will share the responsibilities of incubating and caring for the egg and chick.

Shedd’s breeding program and support of the nesting process each year contributes to the shared and cooperatively managed Species Survival Plan for southern rockhopper penguins, which are listed as a vulnerable population by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Contributing to this plan, led by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, aligns with Shedd Aquarium’s mission and dedication to care and conservation. Shedd also actively contributes to penguin research and conservation efforts globally, applying animal care expertise and scientific resources to better understand how penguins in the wild are being impacted by climate change.

Guests can look for nesting and courtship behaviors in the penguin colony at Shedd in the Polar Play Zone.

VISUALS: Find high-resolution photos and broadcast quality video here: https://personal.filesanywhere.com/guest/fs?v=8e70648f5d6674aea16e&C=50

Photo Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Brenna Hernandez

Video Credit: ©Shedd Aquarium/Sam Cejtin