Dichotomous Key/Spheniscidae

< Dichotomous Key

Key to Spheniscidae

1: Yellow crest present on head.
2: Yellow crest absent.

1

3: Solid yellow stripe runs toward bill, almost touching it.
4: Solid yellow stripe does not approach bill.

2

7: Head and/or neck is partially yellow.
8: No yellow is present on head or neck.

3

Eudyptes schlegeli (Royal Penguin): Some or all of head is white.
6: Head is entirely black.

4

Eudyptes schlegeli (Royal Penguin): Part or all of head is white.
5: Head is entirely black.

5

Eudyptes chrysolophus (Macaroni Penguin): When dry, some of crest is pointed well above the horizontal.
Eudyptes filholi (Eastern Rockhopper Penguin): All of crest is more or less horizontal or below.

6

14: Penguins of New Zealand and surrounding islands
15: Penguins of the southern regions of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

7

Megadyptes antipodes (Yellow-eyed Penguin): 80 centimeters or less in length.
9: Length is over 80 centimeters.

8

Pygoscelis antarctica (Chinstrap Penguin): Face is white with a single thin black stripe resembling a chin-strap.
10: Face is alternating black and white, but not white with a single thin black stripe.

9

Aptenodytes forsteri (Emperor Penguin): Head and neck only slightly yellow; Height is over 100 centimeters.
Aptenodytes patagonicus (King Penguin): Head and neck have bright orange-yellow spots; Length is less than 100 centimeters.

10

11: Beak has spots of orange or red.
12: Beak is black, white, and/or gray

11

Pygoscelis adeliae: Head completely black except for small white ring around eyes.
13: White coloration present above and/or around eyes.

12

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?Eudyptula albosignata?, White-flippered Penguin? subsp of E. minor?
Eudyptula minor, Little Blue Penguin
Spheniscus demersus, African Penguin
Spheniscus humboldti, Humboldt Penguin
Spheniscus magellanicus, Magellanic Penguin
Spheniscus mendiculus, Galapagos Penguin

13

Pygoscelis papua: Head black except for white splotch above eye; 75-90 centimeters in length; Birds of Antarctica.
Spheniscus mendiculus: Head various coloration, but usually with a white stripe going from the edge of the eye and curving back around to the chin; 50 centimeters in length; Birds of the Galapagos Islands.

14

Eudyptes pachyrhynchus: Pink skin absent at base of bill; Usually with whitish stripes on cheeks.
Eudyptes robustus: Pink skin present at base of bill; No stripes on cheeks.

15

unfinished