chinstrap penguin

noun chin·strap penguin \ ˈchin-ˌstrap- \

Updated on: 27 Mar 2018

Definition of chinstrap penguin

: a penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica) with a narrow band of black feathers from ear to ear under its chin that breeds on the Antarctic Peninsula and nearby islands — called also chinstrap

Recent Examples of chinstrap penguin from the Web

Robert Gramzay, a keeper at the zoo, watched the chinstrap penguin pair roll a rock into their nest and sit on it, according to newspaper reports.

— emily v. driscoll, Scientific American, "Bisexuality Can Benefit Animals," 23 May 2017
The island is home to nearly 1.2 million breeding pairs of chinstrap penguins (Pygoscelis antarcticus).

— aaron sidder, National Geographic, "Erupting Volcano May Have Destroyed Huge Penguin Colony," 6 July 2016
This is happening even as ice-dependent minke whales struggle, and Adelie and chinstrap penguin numbers plummet at nearby colonies.

— craig welch, National Geographic, "Get an Amazing Whale's-Eye View Underneath Antarctica," 25 Apr. 2017
Last year a colony of 1 million chinstrap penguins on Zavodovski Island in the South Sandwich Islands just off the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula became threatened when the nearby Mount Curry Volcano began erupting.

— jason daley, Smithsonian, "A Penguin Colony’s Rise and Fall, Recorded in Poop," 13 Apr. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'chinstrap penguin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.