Gentoo Penguin Collecting Rocks For Nest – Video
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On the third day of our trip to the Antarctica Peninsula the scheduled trip was supposed to be at Port Lockroy but because of ice conditions we went on the other side of the mountain to a place called Dorian Bay. After filming for two hours my last destination for the day was to a small Gentoo penguin colony at the base of the mountain. As I was about to return to the ship, something caught my eye. Out of the hundred or so penguins I noticed one penguin walking back and forth collecting rocks. After close inspection I noticed that this male penguin was building a nest for another female penguin. I was fascinated by this behavior so I decided to set my camera down and start recording this action. The male penguin diligently and proudly went about his business collecting rocks and impressing the female penguin. Five minutes went by and then I had to pack up my camera and make my way back to the ship. In the meanwhile this male penguin was still on his rock collecting mission. Walking back to the ship I reflected upon this courtship and thought how us humans are not so different after all. Even though we aren’t programmed to collect rocks we do have our own courting behavior that is unique to us as a species. But at the end of the day it seems that it’s always the male trying to impress the female regardless of what species you are.
March 31, 2014