What feature gives the Yellow-eyed Penguin its common name?
Answer
Pale yellow band encircling the eyes
The common name, Yellow-eyed Penguin, directly stems from its most striking visual characteristic: a distinct pale yellow band of feathers that encircles the eyes and meets at the crown of the head. This identifying marker is consistent across both male and female birds, making it the primary feature used for instant recognition, despite the fact that males are generally slightly larger than females. This elegant yellow eye-ring sets them apart visually from almost all other penguin species globally.

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