Take a Look at This Extremely Rare White Penguin
On an expedition in Antarctica, experienced birder Noah Strycker spotted the ghostly Gentoo on the crowded shores of South Georgia Island.
What are theodds of seeing an all-white penguin?
One in a colony of millions—which is whymy encounter with thispale Gentoo Penguin on South Georgia Island last monthwas nothing short ofthrilling.
But let's start at the beginning.I've been roving around the Southern Hemisphere since the start ofthe new year as an expedition ornithologist on the M/V Endeavour. My post lasts for another two weeks and has takenme to wildlife hotspotslike the Falklands and the East and West Peninsula.The polar tour also stops atSouth Georgia Island, which is largely undeveloped andlocated in thestormy Atlantic Ocean between Argentinaand Antarctica.
South Georgia Islandhas a place in history because of Ernest Shackleton's to reach civilization and save his crew; today, however, it'soverrun withwild penguins. Half a million pairs of King Penguins breed on the island between October and March,along with thousands ofMacaronis, Chinstraps, and Gentoos. It takesseveral days at sea to reach South Georgia—there'sno airport orovernight accomodations—yet it's worth it for the spectacle that unfolds along its grassy shores.
That brings me back to my extremely lucky encounter with the bird picturedabove.Gentoo Penguins typically wear aclassic black tuxedowith white earmuffs and a red beak, so this one immediately stood out as it waddled up the crowded beach. It barely hadanypatterning, and its beak was redder than those around it. It's hard to know if the bird is albino or leucisticor just a mutation, but itdefinitely has some sort of pigment problem.
When it comes to long-term survival, birdswith irregular plumage may have a realdisadvantage. The black and white body of most penguins is called “countershading,” which helps them blend into the ocean. A pure whitebird could have a harder time sneaking up on its prey underwater—or hiding from predators who might enjoypenguin, for that matter.
This particular Gentoo appeared to be in good health. The others seemed to regard it without stigma, letting it mingle like any other colony member.
In more than a dozen Antarctic trips, I’ve seen a few odd-looking penguins including an and a couple of , but this was my first entirely white one. It was like seeing a ghost.
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