Female penguins 'get stranded more because they travel further'

Longer journeys may exhaust birds, say scientists tracking them off South American coastEvery year, thousands of Magellanic penguins get stranded along the coast of South America – but puzzlingly, about 75% of those that get stuck are female. Now scientists say they have worked out what is behind the gender imbalance: the females migrate further north than males.Magellanic penguins finish breeding inPatagonia in February, and during the subsequent winter months head north, reaching as far as Brazil, in search of anchovies. But every year thousands become stranded, with many airlifted to safety onboardmilitary aircraft.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Birds Science Conservation Americas Wildlife Environment Argentina Brazil Animals World news Source Type: news