Penguin Watch Talk

Penguins line marching

  • Motherjoanne by Motherjoanne

    http://talk.penguinwatch.org/#/subjects/APZ0004hdj
    There appears to be a mass exodus of multitudes, all marching in one direction in long straight line. what is happening?
    I have marked many, many pics at this site and this very unusual. Thanks for your consideration.

    Posted

  • wildmonster by wildmonster

    The picture is from mid-August, so that's winter and penguins are probably mostly foraging at sea with occasional visits on land (except for northern Gentoos). Perhaps this line of penguins are heading back out of sea after an onshore visit.

    I read that penguins often walk and follow each other in single file because a path is already forged and made in the snow by those ahead and one does not have to spend the energy "ploughing" through fresh snow.

    According to this website: "on land, penguins walk (often in straight lines) to and from the ocean between their nesting colonies and their feeding grounds" and shows a picture of a line of penguins.
    http://marinebio.net/marinescience/04benthon/AApenguins.htm

    Posted

  • yshish by yshish moderator, translator in response to wildmonster's comment.

    Agree with @Wildmonster completely!

    Thanks for your help on the Board 😃

    Z.

    Posted

  • Motherjoanne by Motherjoanne in response to wildmonster's comment.

    Yes, they often form walkways - but look at the picture - there are hundreds of them walking parallel to the shoreline. This is different than all the other walkways I have seen. Its a super expressway.

    Posted

  • banthesun by banthesun

    A traffic jam, almost!

    Posted

  • wildmonster by wildmonster

    Yes indeed, such an enormous long line is quite a sight. I can't say how unusual that is....

    Here's a description for the documentary March of the Penguins, "The penguins start their migration, once they have spent the summer feasting. Thousands of penguins walk in single file in a column over one mile long. Each penguins knows where it is going, even the penguins who are making the journey for the first time. Instinct is a powerful thing."

    Of course the documentary is about Emperor penguins, and the guys in our picture are not migrating. But it seems that penguins do form remarkably long lines.

    Posted

  • AvastMH by AvastMH moderator

    Made about 190 pengs in that line...and some are hidden behind that rock.

    Just a thought - days are very short in midwinter (OK - this is mid August) so perhaps you just have to make the best out of every hour of light you have? Do they know when there's a passing shoal of fish because other predators are taking the fish??

    Posted

  • Motherjoanne by Motherjoanne

    That's an interesting idea.

    Posted

  • wildmonster by wildmonster

    The pictures and videos below seem to show that it is not all that unusual for many adelie and gentoo penguins to amass in long groups or walk in long groups to/from ocean/land.

    http://www.arkive.org/gentoo-penguin/pygoscelis-papua/image-G34987.html

    http://www.arkive.org/adelie-penguin/pygoscelis-adeliae/image-G37735.html

    http://www.arkive.org/adelie-penguin/pygoscelis-adeliae/image-G40106.html

    https://vimeo.com/33807028

    http://www.arkive.org/adelie-penguin/pygoscelis-adeliae/video-02.html

    Posted

  • penguinTom79 by penguinTom79 scientist, admin in response to wildmonster's comment.

    Hi Wildmonster, that's a perfect explanation! I think what might have happened is that the wind changed and the ice blew in on one side of the island and they had to walk across. Cheers, Tom

    Posted

  • gardenmaeve by gardenmaeve moderator

    Another one is here, in May. http://talk.penguinwatch.org/#/subjects/APZ0004gbp

    Scientist Tom replied in the comments on the original post.
    "Wow! We've never seen this - I think they were resting, ice came in and now they are walking back to the sea. It's in winter."
    by penguinTom79 admin, scientist 19 hours ago

    Posted

  • yshish by yshish moderator, translator

    This one is from the end of April: APZ0004g4t

    Posted

  • AvastMH by AvastMH moderator

    Hi Tom, That's all land under that picture APZ0004hdj, as shown in yshish's version above.

    This does look like a queue for the canteen breakfast first serving though (always worth it - the beans run out before the second serving is finished 😃!)

    Posted

  • yshish by yshish moderator, translator

    Marching line (a strong one) APZ0004hqa (September 21)

    Here is possible another one (focus on the left) APZ0004hqi .. Another line here: APZ0004hqw (both September 22)

    Posted

  • AvastMH by AvastMH moderator

    Interesting turn up: https://talk.penguinwatch.org/#/subjects/APZ000axkf Well spotted @suzeroo 😃

    A very broad walking line is seen in the same place a year later (2015)

    Posted