Two Magellanic Penguin Chicks Hatch at the Long Beach Aquarium

Photos by Robin Riggs, courtesy of the Aquarium of the Pacific.

Two Magellanic Penguin chicks are currently waddling and gobbling behind the scenes at the Aquarium of the Pacific.

The baby birds hatched at the aquarium in late May to parents Kate and Avery and Patsy and Robbie, residents of the June Keyes Penguin Habitat. The parental units took care of their new chicks until they were sent to the aquarium’s nursery to learn the ins and outs of aquarium life.

Video courtesy of the Aquarium of the Pacific.

“The penguin chicks have been in their behind-the-scenes nursery for a little over a couple weeks,” said Dudley Wigdahl, curator of marine mammals and birds. “They are doing a great job of learning to take whole fish from their keepers and have doubled in their weight since they were moved to the nursery.”

While the chicks aren’t quite ready to hang out with the public yet, they’re well on their way to joining their fellow Magellanic members and fans. The one-month-olds will be able to join the other birds in the habitat some time in mid August, according to the aquarium, but until then, enjoy the photos of the fluffy pair and check out the live Penguin Cam, courtesy of explore.org.

In celebration of the two new additions to the Long Beach family, the aquarium is giving an opportunity to name Kate and Avery’s chick through its Adopt an Animal program. Those adopting at the $100 level or higher before September 30 will receive two admission tickets and the chance to suggest a name for the bird, with the winner able to go behind the scenes to experience a feeding and training session with the penguins.

The chicks are expected to fledge, as in replace their fluffier newborn feathers with water-tight adult feathers after 90 days, according to experts, when they should be able to rejoin their parents and other slick-feathered friends in the June Keyes Penguin Habitat.

For more information about the June Keyes Penguin Habitat, click here.