The Humboldt penguinSpheniscus humboldti: a migratory bird?

Abstract

Until recently, the endangered Humboldt penguin was considered a sedentary bird, which remained near its breeding colonies throughout the year. In this pilot study we used five satellite transmitters on Humboldt penguins during the austral winter and were able to track one bird from Pan de Azucar Island (26°09′S, 70°40′W), Northern Chile to Iquique (20°12′S, 70°07′W), a distance of 640 km, between May 24 and June 26, 1996. While a 35 km protection zone around breeding islands might be helpful to prevent competition of penguins with fisheries during the summer months, this might not improve the survival of migrating birds in the winter. Further studies are required to determine the extent of migration and to confirm the recorded travelling route and landing locations in order to detect possible threats to Humboldt penguins from fishing and other industries throughout the year.