Adelie chicks
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by
vmansfield
I think these are the first Adelie I've seen - and there are so many chicks! Is it unusual for there to be more chicks than adults in a group like this?
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by
gardenmaeve
moderator
Adelies, like the Gentoos sharing the rookery (see adult with headflash and blurry grey chick, below), lay two eggs. Often something happens to one or both eggs, but when all goes well and there's plenty to feed them, two chicks can grow to maturity. So it's normal to see two chicks in a nest. Other adults from this rookery would be out fishing, of course. When everyone is home, there are likely to be more adults than chicks due to the failure of some eggs/early demise of some chicks.
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