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From our scientist, Hiltrun Ratz, PhD
scientist@penguins.org.nz |
They have been ordered and will soon be available. You can order yours now and we will send them as soon as they arrive. They are NZ$20 - please go here to order https://www.penguinrescue.nz/donate.html
All proceeds go to Penguin Rescue to help penguins. It is always surprising when a 3 year old male is able to secure a female when so many of the older males are single - he must have that X-factor. The nest site is less ideal: no box, just a bush. His mate is a chick raised by Chris and Lesley in 2020, but has no name. We will keep a very close eye on these two as neither have bred before and they would certainly struggle to raise two chicks - if indeed both eggs are fertile.
is showing off. This video is from April but it shows the ecstatic display call so beautifully, that I wanted to share it with you. Peanut is now breeding in this box with Ming and they have two eggs. Bequette's mate apparently was the better catch (and Bequette has not been found yet, she may no longer be with us) than Rocco, so now she has a new mate and a new box. Rocco is still in his nest box, but alone. We have given him a dummy egg so he doesn't go and bother other pairs being jealous.
Early on in our box sponsorship scheme, boxes got names whether or not they were used. This box was sponsored some years ago by a couple of children - Noah and Helena - but the box was never used until this season. Hopefully the family still follows us on FB! If you do, say hi! The trail camera has recorded a lot of videos showing the penguin behaviour. This pair is preparing their nest for the arrival of eggs (and by now they have two), and sometimes the cabbage tree leaves are just clumsy! There is also a lot of talking going on! He was ousted from his nest and his mate by a young male that had been kicking about for a couple of years. Chicky is now breeding with him, and Bruce is in a new box and has paired up with a young female called Charlie. She is only two years old and has laid only one egg - about half of all two-year old females do, so that's normal.
These two collect sticks, a lot of sticks. Not sure if that makes for a comfortable nest, but there are cabbage tree leaves available....each to their own! At the time of this video they did not have eggs, but Bitty has since laid two. |
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