The southern rockhopper penguins are as fascinating as they are feisty. These little birds are both extreme athletes and extremely vocal—not afraid to pick a fight in their colonies perched high on the rocky coastline of the Falkland Islands. Cheryl Katz spends time with the researchers monitoring two of these colonies to discover how these big‑personality birds are faring in a rapidly changing world.
Quillfeldt and I crouch in the tall grass at the colony’s edge as Masello wades into the fray. Treading gingerly over the poop-streaked ground, he approaches one of the females, snags her feet, scoops her up and carries her back to us. “Poor birdie,” Quillfeldt says softly to the squirming penguin. The scientists gently remove the bird’s kit, weigh her and mark her white belly with a stripe so she won’t be recruited again. The activity draws the attention of curious colony-mates, which come over to watch. “You can be my next volunteer,” Masello tells one especially nosy neighbor that tries to peer over his arm as he works. The crowd grows as the released penguin hops back to her nest and Masello wades into the colony again.
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