We Heart Penguins
Mind the eggs
Raising chicks takes teamwork in a penguin family, both mom and dad have primary roles. Magellanic penguins breed in large nesting colonies, with each pair living in a burrow. In our colony, each parent pair has a den.
When eggs are laid, both parents take turns sitting on the eggs in 2-week shifts. After chicks hatch, parents take turns feeding fish to their little ones.
Fun Facts about penguins.
- Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium welcomed a chick named Rio in May 2021!
- Although he’s grown his first coat of waterproof feathers, Rio does not have his full tuxedo coloring yet.
- Keep an eye out for the penguin that looks a bit more grey in color than the others!
Watch our penguin chicks from 2020 learn to swim in the video.