two females or two females and one male; these make up about 5 percent of all heterosexual bonds. In King Penguins, nonbreeding females may associate with a heterosexual pair and help them raise their chick, who recognizes all three birds as its parents; single parenting is also common. Nonbreeders that aren’t part of trios also occasionally feed chicks belonging to other birds, particularly when the chicks are in CRECHES. These large nursery groups, sometimes containing thousands of chicks, form while the parents are away. Creches also occur in Gentoos, where they are often attended by several adult “guardians.” During the winter, King parents are often gone for long periods on fishing trips, and chicks may not be fed for weeks or months at a time. As many as 10 percent of them perish from this prolonged fasting and starvation. Some parents abandon their chicks or eggs (especially in severe weather), and chicks may also be killed in squabbles between their parents and nonbreeding birds that are trying to “kidnap” them. King Penguins also occasionally “steal” other pairs’ eggs.
Breeding can take its toll on adults as well: male King Penguins fast for more than fifty days during courtship and incubation, losing 10—12 percent of their body weight. In addition, heterosexual copulations are sometimes harassed, with throngs of neighboring birds converging on mating pairs, attacking them and trying to interrupt the sexual activity. Many birds forgo breeding altogether: more than 40 percent of the population each year consists of nonbreeders, and birds generally do not breed every year (primarily because of the unusually long 16—month breeding cycle). Extensive nonbreeding is also a feature of Gentoo populations: up to a quarter of the adults may skip breeding each year, and more than 15 percent of birds breeding late in the season lay infertile clutches. In addition, breeding is delayed for one to two years in younger King and Gentoo Penguins, due to both physiological and social factors. Some Humboldt Penguins remain single and nonbreeding as well, although they may still engage in sexual behavior with other birds.
Other Species
Reciprocal homosexual copulations—involving full genital (cloacal) contact—also occur among male Adelie Penguins
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*Gillespie, T. H. (1932)
Kojima, I. (1978) “Breeding Humboldt’s Penguins
*Merritt, K., and N. E. King (1987) “Behavioral Sex Differences and Activity Patterns of Captive Humboldt Penguins.” Zoo
*Murphy, R. C. (1936)
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*Roberts, B. (1934) “The Breeding Behavior of Penguins, with Special Reference to
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*Scholten, C. J. (1996) Personal communication.
*———(1992) “Choice of Nest-site and Mate in Humboldt Penguins (
*———(1987) “Breeding Biology of the Humboldt Penguin
*Stevenson, M. F. (1983) “Penguins in Captivity.”
Stonehouse, B. (1960) “The King Penguin
van Zinderen Bakker, E. M., Jr. (1971) “A Behavior Analysis of the Gentoo Penguin
Weimerskirch, H., J. C. Stahl, and P. Jouventin (1992) “The Breeding Biology and Population Dynamics of King Penguins
*Wheater, R. J. (1976) “The Breeding of Gentoo Penguins
Williams, T. D. (1996) “Mate Fidelity in Penguins.” In J. M. Black, ed.,
———(1995)
Williams, T. D., and S. Rodwell (1992) “Annual Variation in Return Rate, Mate and Nest-Site Fidelity in Breeding Gentoo and Macaroni Penguins.”
Wilson, R. P., and M.-P. T. Wilson (1990) “Foraging Ecology of Breeding
BIRDS OF PREY AND GAME BIRDS
KESTREL
IDENTIFICATION: A small falcon (12-15 inches) having chestnut plumage spotted with black, and a gray head and tail in males. DISTRIBUTION: Throughout Eurasia and Africa. HABITAT: Variable, including plains, steppe, woodland, wetlands. STUDY AREA: Niva, Denmark; subspecies
GRIFFON VULTURE
IDENTIFICATION: A large vulture (wingspan up to 9 feet) with a white head and neck and brown plumage. DISTRIBUTION: Southern Europe, North Africa, Middle East to Himalayas. HABITAT: Mountains, steppe, forest. STUDY AREAS: Berlin Zoo; Jonte Gorge and other regions of the Massif Central Mountains, France; Lumbier, Spain; subspecies
Social Organization
During early spring through summer, Kestrels associate as mated pairs that each have their own territory; there is also a significant subpopulation of nonbreeding birds. Outside of the mating season, males and females are