Losing Ground

It's not hard to see how chinstrap penguins got their name. The little brush-tailed penguins are similar in size and appearance to Adelies, except for their striking golden eyes. This one was resting on a volcanic-rock beach during a snowstorm.

Chinstraps are are found in waters around Antarctica and its surrounding islands. They are the world's most common penguin with an estimated 8 million animals. Ironically, we saw fewer chinstraps on our trip than any of the seven species we photographed. And recent surveys have found steep population declines from decades ago when these birds numbered millions more.

A chinstrap penguin waves its little white flippers in front of a snowfield in Antarctica. While chinstrap numbers are declining, gentoo numbers are on the rise. Gentoos have a more varied diet and are less picky about where they nest. Chinstraps prefer to nest on high, exposed cliff faces.

During my last day in Antarctica, I spent the morning with these two confiding chinstrap penguins. They were very relaxed photo subjects, letting me take their portraits in the falling snow while they rested on the beach from their fishing trip. It was a fantastic encounter.

Chinstraps aren't deep divers compared to other penguins. They feed on krill and fish. They are called the "stonebreaker penguin" because of their shrill call capable of splitting granite, or so it's said. The penguins I met didn't have much to say.

I love their pink feet and little white flippers.

Chinstrips are known for their elaborate bonding rituals. These monogamous penguins are proper lords and ladies, bowing and genuflecting in mutual respect on bare rocks in front of a glacier surrounded by Adelies.

A chinstrap dashes back to shore at top speed. The shallows are perhaps the most dangerous waters, home to opportunistic leopard seals. The little penguins don't loiter in these waters. Capturing them porpoising through the water was harder than it looks! I failed so many times.

A little chinstrap naps in the falling snow, perfectly content on its Antarctic beach.