Sharing your snack: unusual observation of a chick–chick feeding occurrence in colonial king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)

Abstract King penguins ( Aptenodytes patagonicus ) are colonial seabirds presenting an extraordinary breeding cycle. Parents take over 14 months to raise a single chick independence, upon which fledglings depart at sea for more than year. Juveniles often return the colony within three austral summers following departure, and before age of first reproduction (around 5–6 years old), possibly acquire essential skills involved in breeding. Little nothing is known on acquisition parental behaviour. Here, we report anecdotal, yet highly unusual, observation chick–chick feeding behaviour this species. The unusual that two non-sibling chicks, not independent, hatched different times (early late) same season were observed, older younger one. Whereas alloparental occur species, reported event. This raises question whether early social environment plays role parenting