Animal Guide

Magellanic Penguin

15 destinations · 11 states

Native Range: Southern South America and the Falkland Islands

Magellanic penguins bring a lively mix of swimming, waddling, and social behavior to a penguin habitat. Watch one on land and you may see it preening, calling, or shuffling between the water and a sheltered spot. Then it dives, and the awkward walk disappears completely. Powerful flipper strokes carry the penguin through the water as it searches for fish and other small prey. Their black-and-white plumage includes two dark bands across the chest, a useful detail to look for when several penguins are together. At a zoo or aquarium, listen for the distinctive braying calls, especially when birds are responding to one another. Magellanic penguins breed along the coasts of Argentina and Chile and on the Falkland Islands, often nesting in burrows or sheltered spaces. They spend much of the year at sea, following food through the productive waters of the southern Atlantic and Pacific. A close view makes their bold chest markings and quick underwater movements easy to appreciate.

Magellanic Penguin

Where to see Magellanic Penguin

15 destinations across 11 states

15 destinations

Aquarium of the Pacific

Long Beach, CA

Blank Park Zoo

Des Moines, IA

Bronx Zoo

Bronx, NY

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Cincinnati, OH

El Paso Zoo

El Paso, TX

Jacksonville Zoo & Botanical Gardens

Jacksonville, FL

John Ball Zoo

Grand Rapids, MI

Philadelphia Zoo

Philadelphia, PA

Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

Tacoma, WA

Potter Park Zoo

Lansing, MI

San Francisco Zoo

San Francisco, CA

SeaWorld Orlando

Orlando, FL

SeaWorld San Diego

San Diego, CA

Shedd Aquarium

Chicago, IL

Zoo Boise

Boise, ID

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