Edinburgh Zoo’s gentoo penguins have started building ‘sex nests’ to attract lovers ahead of mating season
Whether it’s splashing flowers or preparing a delicious meal, everyone has their own way of impressing a potential partner.
But for these house-proud penguins, it’s all about the chicest bachelor pad.
As mating season approaches, Edinburgh Zoo’s gentoo penguins are busy getting their nests in good condition.
Using nesting rings and a collection of pebbles provided by the zookeepers, male penguins carefully selected the perfect stones to lure a loved one.
But there can be trouble in paradise, as penguins often skimp to get the best stones for themselves.
At Edinburgh Zoo, male gentoo penguins are busy collecting their favorite pebbles to try to win over their ideal mate
Gentoo penguins are native to Antarctica and can only build their nests from pebbles. This means that choosing the right pebble is the key to finding a partner
Edinburgh Zoo is home to the largest outdoor penguin pool in Europe with three different species and more than 100 individuals.
A large number of these are gentoo penguins, a small species native to Antarctica.
In the wild, these characterful birds make their nests on the rocky shores, where they collect the smooth pebbles to build nests.
And just like people, these penguins also propose by giving each other a nice shiny stone.
Male penguins select the smoothest pebble from their nest to present to their potential mate.
When she thinks the offering is good enough, the female takes the stone and places it on the nest.
Male penguins will offer the females the best pebble from their nest as a form of proposal
When the female penguin accepts the pebble, she takes it and places it on the next pebble. The pair will then work together to build a nest, mate and raise two eggs
The couple then work together to build a nest, in which the female lays two spherical eggs.
Gentoo penguins are devoted parents and often form long-lasting bonds.
During the incubation period of 33 to 35 days, the parents take turns keeping the egg warm while the others look for food.
This year the first eggs should be laid in April and we should see the first chicks hatch in May.
After about three to four months, these chicks are old enough to leave the nest and join a large nursery with other chicks, where they learn to swim and eat.
To help the penguins find their perfect mate, Edinburgh Zoo has provided the penguins with a collection of painted pebbles this year.
The rocks were painted by children supported by Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.
This year, Edinburgh Zoo provided the penguins with colorful rocks painted by children from the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People
Pebbles are very important to gentoo penguins because in the wild they help keep their eggs above the ice and snow
The penguins carefully choose pebbles that allow snow and water to drain, keeping the eggs warm and dry during the month-long incubation period
But these pebbles are so important to the males’ chances of finding a mate that it sometimes leads to arguments.
Materials for building nests can be difficult to find on the frozen coastlines of Antarctica.
Some penguins even dive to the seabed to find pebbles, meaning it can take days, if not weeks, to build the right nest.
Faced with this daunting task, some penguins will turn to a life of crime and try to steal the best pebbles from their rivals’ nests.
Criminal couples may even try to hijack another couple’s nest altogether if it is left unattended for too long.
Some penguins find it easier to turn to a life of crime and steal the best pebbles from their rivals’ nests to build their own.
Competition for the best pebbles is fierce and often leads to neighborhood disputes among the zoo’s residents
But this isn’t just a matter of aesthetic choices or neighborly jealousy.
Without twigs, branches or leaves to build their nests from, pebbles are all the gentoo penguins can use to keep their eggs safe.
A sturdy base of pebbles keeps the egg above the icy ground and snow so it can survive incubation.
Choosing the right pebbles will allow water or snow to drain from the nest instead of accumulating on the surface.
This means that building a good, sturdy nest can be the difference between successfully raising a chick or the egg not hatching.
So while the eggs are unlikely to freeze in the Scottish spring, arguments and fights are common among zoo residents as the breeding season approaches.