LYCOS RETRIEVER 
The Penguins: Birds
built 630 days ago
The Penguinarium habitat was renovated in 1985 to simulate features of the natural environments in which these species of penguins occur. The three different land sides simulate the habitat of the different species found at the Detroit Zoo. The temperature of the air and water is kept between 45 and 50 degrees F. The light cycle is controlled to resemble the natural photoperiod that these birds would experience in the wild. During the summer the days are 18 hours long, while in the winter the lights are only on for eight hours. This is critical for the overall health of penguins because they molt and breed when the length of day increases.
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The penguins that have appeared on Sesame Street vary slightly from those on The Muppet Show, mostly notably in possessing orange eyelids and light grey beaks. A team of penguin softball players appeared on Episode 4072, while Episode 4112 featured a graduating class of penguins. An entire episode of Elmo's World was dedicated the antarctic bird, including one Caesar Penguin.
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The local aquarium and zoo reported no instance of any runaway penguins as local authorities were dumbfounded. Experts hypothesized that these claims were just easily mistaken instances of a guillemot bird that looks like a penguin.
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In 1983 a pair of African penguins were spotted on Foxy Beach at Boulders and in 1985 they began to lay. Since then the colony has grown rapidly, increasing initially at about 60% a year. By 1997 there were 2350 adult birds. Such a quick growth of the colony was the result of immigration, particularly from Dyer Island, as well as by reproduction. Birds have probably come to False Bay because of the good fishing available since commercial purse seine fishing has been banned in the Bay. Although Simon's Town is very proud of its penguins, nearby residents suffered badly as the birds invaded their gardens, destroyed the undergrowth and were generally very noisy and messy.
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T[H]e Yellow-Eyed Penguin is named for its yellow, cat-like eyes. It ... has a pale yellow band of feathers around its head, like a crown. Unlike other penguins it is not very colonial, and does not form large rookeries, nor does it migrate. It is a very timid bird and will move away when approached. It is also endangered; the population is estimated at less than 10,000 birds.
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If you are ever fortunate enough to observe penguins in the wild, watch their behavior in the ocean. You may see them jumping out of the water while swimming, just like a dolphin. The time in the air allows these birds to get a breath or two of air before returning to the water. And if a penguin returning to land can't just walk or scoot ashore, they may swim downwards, then leap up out of the water to land, landing on their feet before waddling off! Amazing birds!
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