Dichotomous Key/Spheniscidae

Key to Spheniscidae

 * 1: Yellow crest present on head.
 * 2: Yellow crest absent.

1

 * 3: Solid yellow stripe runs toward bill, almost touching it.
 * 4: Solid yellow stripe does not approach bill.

2

 * 7: Head and/or neck is partially yellow.
 * 8: No yellow is present on head or neck.

3

 * Eudyptes schlegeli: Some or all of head is white.
 * 6: Head is entirely black.

4

 * Eudyptes schlegeli: Part or all of head is white.
 * 5: Head is entirely black.

5

 * Eudyptes chrysolophus: When dry, some of crest is pointed well above the horizontal.
 * Eudyptes filholi: All of crest is more or less horizontal or below.

6

 * 14: Penguins of New Zealand and surrounding islands
 * 15: Penguins of the southern regions of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

7

 * Megadyptes antipodes: 80 centimeters or less in length.
 * 9: Length is over 80 centimeters.

8

 * Pygoscelis antarctica: Face is white with a single thin black stripe resembling a chin-strap.
 * 10: Face is alternating black and white, but not white with a single thin black stripe.

9

 * Aptenodytes forsteri: Head and neck only slightly yellow; Height is over 100 centimeters.
 * Aptenodytes patagonicus: Head and neck have bright orange-yellow spots; Length is less than 100 centimeters.

10

 * 11: Beak has spots of orange or red.
 * 12: Beak is black, white, and/or gray

11

 * Pygoscelis adeliae: Head completely black except for small white ring around eyes.
 * 13: White coloration present above and/or around eyes.

12
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 * ?Eudyptula albosignata?, White-flippered Penguin? subsp of E. minor?
 * Eudyptula minor, Little Blue Penguin
 * Spheniscus demersus, African Penguin
 * Spheniscus humboldti, Humboldt Penguin
 * Spheniscus magellanicus, Magellanic Penguin
 * Spheniscus mendiculus, Galapagos Penguin

13

 * Pygoscelis papua: Head black except for white splotch above eye; 75-90 centimeters in length; Birds of Antarctica.
 * Spheniscus mendiculus: Head various coloration, but usually with a white stripe going from the edge of the eye and curving back around to the chin; 50 centimeters in length; Birds of the Galapagos Islands.

14

 * Eudyptes pachyrhynchus: Pink skin absent at base of bill; Usually with whitish stripes on cheeks.
 * Eudyptes robustus: Pink skin present at base of bill; No stripes on cheeks.

15
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 * Eudyptes chrysocome:
 * Eudyptes moseleyi: