Put On The Barry White: It's Penguin Breeding Season

By Samantha Abernethy in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 27, 2012 4:00PM

Photo courtesy \<a href=\"http://www.sheddaquarium.org/\"\>Shedd Aquarium\<\/a\>

Photo courtesy \<a href=\"http://www.sheddaquarium.org/\"\>Shedd Aquarium\<\/a\>

Photo courtesy \<a href=\"http://www.sheddaquarium.org/\"\>Shedd Aquarium\<\/a\>

Photo courtesy \<a href=\"http://www.sheddaquarium.org/\"\>Shedd Aquarium\<\/a\>

Photo courtesy \<a href=\"http://www.sheddaquarium.org/\"\>Shedd Aquarium\<\/a\>

Photo courtesy \<a href=\"http://www.sheddaquarium.org/\"\>Shedd Aquarium\<\/a\>

The weather gets warm, and the hormones start pumping. It's penguin breeding season at the Shedd Aquarium, and the males have to woo their ladies with the right rocks. Yeah, that's right penguins. If you liked it then you shoulda put a rock on it. Zoo animals... they're just like us!

During nesting season, male rockhopper and Magellanic penguins launch into hot pursuit for the perfect rocks to build their nests. To begin the annual mating ritual, Shedd’s animal care experts placed dozens of small smooth river rocks in the penguin habitat for the animals to create the perfect nest. The week-long war of the rocks will culminate with numerous nests throughout Shedd’s popular penguin exhibit.

And apparently the guys can get ruthless, stealing one another's rocks to make the best nest. You can watch it happen at the Shedd, and watch the video below to see the penguins pick through the piles for the best materials.