Chinstrap penguin

Pygoscelis antarcticus

The Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) is a bird found in Antarctica and South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands. Islands and ice floes around the Antarctic Peninsula. It eats insects and other small invertebrates and fish. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

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Scientific name	Pygoscelis antarcticus
Region	Polar & Oceans
Found in	Antarctica and South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands

🏡 Where the Chinstrap penguin lives

Islands and ice floes around the Antarctic Peninsula.

🍽️ What it eats

🐛 Insects & bugs80%
🐟 Fish20%

A rough guide to its diet over a year. Source: EltonTraits (Wilman et al. 2014).

Conservation status

LCNTVUENCREWEX

Least ConcernThere are plenty of these birds.

💡 The black band under its head looks like a strap on a helmet.

Hear the Chinstrap penguin

Recorded by steve (CC BY-SA 4.0), xeno-canto XC953122. Trimmed to a few seconds.

Questions about the Chinstrap penguin

Where does the Chinstrap penguin live?

The Chinstrap penguin lives in Antarctica and South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands. Islands and ice floes around the Antarctic Peninsula.

What does the Chinstrap penguin eat?

insects and other small invertebrates (about 80%), fish (about 20%). These are rough shares of its diet over a year, from the EltonTraits database.

Is the Chinstrap penguin endangered?

There are plenty of these birds. Its IUCN Red List category is Least Concern.

More birds from Polar & Oceans

Sources: IUCN Red List (via Wikidata), EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014), GBIF sightings for countries, Wikipedia. Last updated 2026-10-19.