Penguin Nest Cam! Eggs hatching soon!
December 14, 2017 1:32 PM   Subscribe

Welcome to the nest! Streaming live from the National Aviary's Penguin Point, we are pleased to bring you the soon-to-be newest members of our African Penguin colony. Watch the penguin parents care for their eggs, and then their chicks, as they hatch and grow.

Penguin parents, Sidney and Bette, laid two eggs on November 7th and 11th. The first egg is expected to hatch between December 14 and 18, and the second egg is expected to hatch between December 18 and 22. If all goes well, the chicks will eventually join the National Aviary's current colony of 20 African Penguins. This is the fourth set of chicks for Sidney and Bette who have had 6 chicks together at the National Aviary (not including these two)!

The chicks will remain in the nest for the first three weeks. They will then be moved inside to be cared for by National Aviary experts until they are old enough to return to the colony in Penguin Point. This special upbringing will ensure the chicks get the highest standard of care possible, and that they are ready to fulfill their future roles as ambassadors for their species.
posted by Capt. Renault (22 comments total) 13 users marked this as a favorite
 
SQUEE HOW'D YOU KNOW THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED
posted by Melismata at 1:51 PM on December 14, 2017


M&P Security Solutions is down with the cute.
posted by rhizome at 1:55 PM on December 14, 2017


Sidney (or Bette?) is currently sitting on the eggs, staring at the camera. No chicks yet.

I know that in Antarctica, the male Emperor penguins will watch over the eggs while the female penguins will go off in search of food.* Is that the same for these lil' guys?

* The entirety of my penguin knowledge comes from March of the Penguins and Happy Feet
posted by Elly Vortex at 2:17 PM on December 14, 2017 [3 favorites]


The Aviary is fun, but it's super expensive for how big it is.
posted by Chrysostom at 2:21 PM on December 14, 2017


Oh. It's Bette on the eggs. Sidney just ambled into the room, wearing an armband with his name on it.
posted by Elly Vortex at 2:24 PM on December 14, 2017 [2 favorites]


Oh hey neat. The Aviary is two blocks from here but I didn't know about this.
posted by octothorpe at 2:28 PM on December 14, 2017


Having once witnessed a skua steal and subsequently drop a penguin egg from a nest, I strongly am in favor of M&P Security Solutions guarding all penguin nests worldwide.
posted by zachlipton at 4:29 PM on December 14, 2017 [5 favorites]


Squee! I love the Aviary. This brings me joy.
posted by theBigRedKittyPurrs at 4:50 PM on December 14, 2017


Drowsily blinking penguin is best penguin
posted by soren_lorensen at 5:37 PM on December 14, 2017 [2 favorites]


REMINDER: Penguins are also dinosaurs
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 3:49 AM on December 15, 2017 [3 favorites]


D'aw...
Six African Penguins have been hatched at the National Aviary since 2012. They are Tribby and Kaden in 2012, Disco and Mary Beth in 2013 and Goldilocks and Happy hatched in December 2014. All six chicks hatched at the National Aviary are the offspring of penguin parents Sidney and Bette.

We have a painting done by one of the aviary's penguins (we won it in a raffle somewhere) and it was an afternoon of hilariousness and glee. Let's just say that these guys are highly food motivated.
posted by librarianamy at 4:58 AM on December 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


Following librarianamy's link I found out that you can have a Penguin Encounter (as well as an Armadillo, Owl, Bird of Prey, and Sloth Encounter) and I think I have just figured out where our next weekend trip is going to be.
posted by Liesl at 6:44 AM on December 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


Let's just say that these guys are highly food motivated.

Same.
posted by Chrysostom at 6:46 AM on December 15, 2017 [4 favorites]


I found this article on African Penguins:
African penguins usually produce one to two eggs per clutch and incubation lasts 38–41 days. Responsibility to incubate the eggs is shared equally between both sexes. When one parent is incubating the egg, the other will head out to sea to forage or head out to collect vegetative nesting material. Each parent has an incubation ‘pouch’ located on the body to keep the incubation temperature constant.
I also wondered why the national aviary staff removed the chicks from their parents care after 3 weeks. This article seems to answer why:
The parents safeguard the chicks for the first 30 days, after which they are mostly left unguarded. The unguarded chicks may form crèches of up to 55 chicks.
posted by muddgirl at 6:51 AM on December 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


Noon, and they just had a shift change. Aww.
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:02 AM on December 15, 2017 [1 favorite]


Every time I have looked at this, all I get is a screen full of penguin butt.
posted by Ruki at 10:42 AM on December 15, 2017 [2 favorites]


Metafilter: a screen full of penguin butt.
posted by Chrysostom at 11:32 AM on December 15, 2017 [2 favorites]


And for the curious who might notice something about the name: yes, the dad penguin is named after Sidney Crosby.
posted by tavella at 11:44 AM on December 15, 2017 [2 favorites]


Yes, and previous chicks Mary Beth and Disco are after former Pens coach Dan Bylsma and his wife. I believe we've also had Elvis ("Elvis has left the building!"), Stanley (cup) and Patrick (division). I also want to say that there's a Max (Talbot) and a Flower (Fleury) but I think we need to make a trip there soon to confirm. And meet the armadillo.
posted by librarianamy at 12:05 PM on December 15, 2017 [3 favorites]


Metafilter: a screen full of penguin butt.

OMG! 15 years of having an account and it's finally happened to me!
posted by Ruki at 2:31 PM on December 15, 2017 [7 favorites]


Update: the first chick has hatched!
posted by librarianamy at 4:46 AM on December 18, 2017 [2 favorites]


TWO, COUNT ‘EM, TWO PENGUIN CHICKS!
posted by Capt. Renault at 8:55 PM on December 21, 2017 [2 favorites]


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