African Penguin Juveniles, Oswald and Nora
The National Aviary is overjoyed to share some WADDLE-FUL NEWS: the arrival of not one but TWO additional African Penguin chicks, marking another incredible step towards saving the newly up-listed Critically Endangered species from the brink of extinction.
The first chick hatched on February 7 and weighed about 60.5 grams – nearly equal to the weight of a standard pack of gum. The younger sibling hatched just a few days later, on February 10, and weighed about 55 grams, or the weight of about 14 sugar packets.
And Their Names Are…
Two Aviary flock members (and their families), Manager of Buildings & Grounds, Kevin Fonner, and Senior Director of External Relations, Gina Grone, affectionately chose both monikers through our Name-A-Bird program.
The boy is named OSWALD!
Thanks to Kevin, his wife Karla and his daughters Mackenzie and Morgan, Hatchling One is now affectionately known as Oswald. According to Mackenzie, the naming inspiration comes from the beloved 1992 film “Batman Returns” (starring Pittsburgh native Michael Keaton). As fans may recall, Oswald Cobblepot is the “real” name of the movie’s main antagonist, The Penguin, played by Danny DeVito.
The girl is named NORA!
Hatchling Two was named Nora in honor of Gina Grone’s daughter, to commemorate the beginnings of a new family chapter.
July 2025
Both siblings are settling into their Penguin Point home well, eagerly putting their waterproof feathers to use as they swim through the water and navigate the habitat’s rocky cliffs.
And Their Genders Are…
The eldest of the two chicks is a BOY!
And his younger sibling? A GIRL!
In honor of our “gender reveal,” we enlisted the help of our resident Animal Ambassador, Red the Scarlet Macaw! She ripped through adorable bird-safe “candies,” aka puzzle-like objects which peak her natural curiosity and foraging abilities, made by our care staff. Can confirm: Red did find a few of her favorite treats on the inside…because the best candies have a delicious filling!
The Chicks Are Growing!
First Weigh-in (as a duo!):
- Hatchling One: 147.95g (5.22 oz) – a bit bigger than a large lemon.
- Hatching Two: 55.10g (1.94 oz) – the same weight as two slices of cheese.
Second Weigh-in: Both more than DOUBLED in size!
- Hatchling One: 371g (13 oz) – the weight of a standard can of pop (or soda!).
- Hatchling Two: 211g (7.44 oz) – roughly the size of an avocado.
Third Weigh-in: They just keep GROWING!
- Hatchling One: 552g (19.5 oz) – larger than an NFL football.
- Hatchling Two: 319g (11.3 oz) – about the same size as a human heart.
Fourth Weigh-in: QUADRUPLED in weight!
- Hatchling One: 712g (25 oz) – a little heavier than an NBA basketball.
- Hatchling Two: 447g (15.8 oz) – about the size of an MLB baseball.
Meet the Parents
The two new bundles of joy are the 11th and 12th chicks fledged by Bette and Sidney (named after Pittsburgh Penguin’s captain Sidney Crosby) at the National Aviary (13 if you count being “adoptive” parents to Pierogi in 2022). These two have been a penguin couple since 2010 and have delighted visitors with many preening sessions while relaxing in Penguin Point (in addition to being dedicated parents behind-the-scenes!).
Sidney was also a devoted partner during Bette’s recovery from a rare, complex surgery in 2018. When Bette’s care team noticed she wasn’t feeling well, our veterinary staff, led by Senior Director, Zoological Advancement and Avian Medicine Dr. Pilar Fish, immediately jumped into action. Through the use of innovative avian medicine methods (like a customized anesthesia method for penguins and repurposing human mustache clippers to safely and closely clip the dense feathers of African Penguins), our veterinary team successfully removed a golf ball-sized mass from Bette’s abdomen during a four-hour procedure.
With physical therapy and close monitoring from our experts, Bette made a full recovery and continues to thrive as a wonderful mom…a sign of this being that these two chicks are the first she has hatched since that surgery!
Importance of African Penguin Conservation
African Penguins are Critically Endangered in the wild. Sidney, Bette, and all members of our Penguin Point colony are part of a critically important initiative called a Species Survival Plan®(SSP), which is helping to build a strong penguin population under expert care and save their species.
The National Aviary also leads the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Saving Animals From Extinction® (SAFE) Program for African Penguins. coordinated by Dr. McGill. In collaboration with the South African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) and the Namibian Foundation for the Conservation of Seabirds (NAMCOB), the Aviary works to sustain and hopefully grow wild penguin populations through identifying and addressing the challenges plaguing this species, including overfishing, climate change, oil spills, and guano mining.
This includes testing and refining artificial nest burrows, which have proven successful in keeping penguins cool and safe from predators. In 2022, one such nest was used to welcome a chick, affectionately dubbed Pierogi. “Adoptive” parents Sidney and Bette raised him inside Penguin Point’s nest burrow (pictured above).
In 2024, Dr. McGill and Senior Director of Animal Care and Conservation Programs Kurt Hundgen were on the ground in Namibia, deploying artificial nest burrows for declining penguin colonies living on the island of Possession.
Stay tuned for our next steps on this important journey and ways you can help.
How We Help
Today, fewer than 3% of the historic African Penguin population remains, with only about 9,000 pairs remaining in the wild. The ever-growing African Penguin colony that resides at the Aviary has allowed us to implement new and innovative ways to promote our conservation efforts, such as making use of artificial nesting burrows onsite, offering additional nesting opportunities to our colony, and sending our experts to South Africa to support conservation efforts.
The National Aviary’s efforts to conserve the African Penguin and other species are made possible with the support of people like you. All donations received bring us one step closer to completing our conservation goals.