Adults return to Falklands to begin building nests

Egg laying 3rd week Oct (highly variable +/- 3 wks)

Incubation 34-36 days

Hatch early Dec & parents broodguard 25 days

Early Jan start to crèche at age 25-30 days

Both parents forage for food for chick Some chicks may fledge mid Feb

Main fledge starts early Mar at 14 wks old

Adults begin annual moult (15-20 days) from late March

Up to 50% of Gentoos remain in the Falklands over the winter

Adults return to Falkland Islands

Eggs laid mid-October

Incubation 35 – 40 days

Hatch 2nd week of Dec

Chicks leave burrows

Chicks fledge mid March. Adults moult in March

Migrate north along the
S.American coast

Males return early Oct and females 1 week later

Eggs laid 1st week Nov Incubation 32-34 days

Hatch early Dec & parents broodguard 24 –26 days

Chicks crèche

Late Feb chicks fledge at 65 –75 days old

Chicks fledge early March. Adults forage & return to colony to moult

Moult late Mar & Apr. (20-25 days) Depart mid Apr.

Disperse northwards on shelf

*** 18-month breeding cycle ***

Large/small chicks & eggs at various stages simultaneously

1st peak adult moult. Majority previous years chicks depart Nov/Dec

2nd peak adult moult. Eggs laid mid Nov – mid March

50 day incubation

First chicks hatch late Jan / Feb

May – August chicks may be fed only 3X & lose up to 50% of their weight

Males return late Sep

Females return early Oct
Eggs laid mid Oct

Incubation 70 days

Eggs hatch late Dec & parents
broodguard chick for approx. 25 days

Broodguard continues until mid Jan

Both adults provision the chick

Both adults provision the chick

Chicks fledge mid/late Apr at 122 days old

Juveniles disperse north & return to colony to breed at 7 yrs.

Return late Sep to colonies

Egg laying mid Oct – early Nov

Incubation 60 days

Chicks fledge late March

Nest building commences late Sep

Eggs laid

Chicks fledge Jan/Feb

Chicks fledge Jan/Feb

Nest building commences late Sep

Eggs laid up until late Dec

Chicks fledge Jan/Feb

Chicks fledge Jan/Feb

Breeding early/mid Sep Can start early Aug

ncubation 35 days & hatch Oct

Chicks fledge at 3 mths

Egg laying starts mid Aug

Double brooding is possible

Young observed as late as Apr

Nesting can commence in Sep but more commonly Oct

Incubation 45 – 50 days

Young fledge Jan

Most other species will fit within the same breeding season. Generally smaller birds have a shorter season & lay slightly later

Eggs laid mid to late Oct
Some evidence that young birds lay later

Eggs found as late as Jan, may represent late laying or double brooding

Breeding commences Sep & Oct

Incubation 30 days

Chicks fledge at 70 days

Egg laying mid Sept onwards until Dec

Chicks fledge at under 3 mths

Bulls arrive early Sep. Cows arrive 1 wk later (mid Sep).
Pupping late Sep / early Oct. Pups suckled for 20 days and gain 4x birth weight. Females mate at end of lactation (20 days) and females depart after only approx. 27 days ashore

Pups remain ashore for 45 days fasting after females departure.
Males depart late Nov after 3 mths having lost 40% body weight

Adults haul out late Jan / early Feb to moult for 25 days

Bulls establish territory in Dec. Cows arrive late Dec / early Jan. Pupping from late Dec to mid Jan. Females mate 2/3 days after pupping. After mating females conduct short foraging trips returning every few days to suckle pup. Late Jan pups form into pods and bull territories break up. Pups may suckle / remain dependant for 12 months +. After breeding no segregation and mixed groups hauled out