The Traveling Richters » nests http://www.thetravelingrichters.com Learning by Exploring Travel, Food, Culture, Adventure, and More... Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:21:24 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 Penguins Build Nests Too http://www.thetravelingrichters.com/2010/02/16/penguins-build-nests-too http://www.thetravelingrichters.com/2010/02/16/penguins-build-nests-too#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 12:04:20 +0000 Jake Richter http://www.thetravelingrichters.com/?p=825 Penguins, just like most birds, build nests. However, since there are few if any plants large enough to harvest for nest building materials here in the Antarctic, penguins have resorted to a more practical material – rocks. Penguins collect small stones, rocks, and pebbles and use those to build an elevated rise upon which to nest. The stones serve the purpose of allowing any glacial or snow melt to drain through and under the nest, thus hopefully avoiding freezing the eggs or chicks after they have hatched.

A young adult Adelie penguin picks up a rock to build its nest - a bit late in the season

A young adult Adelie penguin picks up a rock to build its nest - a bit late in the season

The young adult Adelie penguin carries its pebble or rock to its nesting site

The young adult Adelie penguin carries its pebble or rock to its nesting site

An abandoned Adelie penguin nest

An abandoned Adelie penguin nest

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