Magellanic Penguin
Spheniscus magellanicus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderSphenisciformes (Penguins)
- FamilySpheniscidae (Penguins)
- GenusSpheniscus (Banded Penguins)
- SpeciesSpheniscus magellanicus (Magellanic Penguin)
The Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus) is a South American penguin, breeding in coastal Patagonia, including Argentina, Chile, and the Falkland Islands, with some migrating to Brazil and Uruguay, where they are occasionally seen as far north as Espírito Santo. Vagrants have been found in El Salvador, the Avian Island in Antarctica, Australia, and New Zealand. It is the most numerous of the Spheniscus banded penguins. Its nearest relatives are the African penguin, the Humboldt penguin, and the Galápagos penguins. The Magellanic penguin was named after Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who spotted the birds in 1520. Wikipedia →
60–70% of wildlife watchers report a Magellanic Penguin sighting in Península Valdés, based on 226 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Península Valdés | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 2 | Tierra del Fuego National Park | 🇦🇷 Argentina | |
| 3 | Torres del Paine National Park | 🇨🇱 Chile | |
| 4 | Tijuca National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Magellanic Penguin in Península Valdés?
About 65% of wildlife watchers report a Magellanic Penguin sighting in Península Valdés, based on 226 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Magellanic Penguin in Península Valdés?
February has the highest sighting rate for Magellanic Penguin in Península Valdés in our monthly data.