What visual trait gives the Yellow-Eyed Penguin its common name?
Answer
A pale yellow iris and a broad band of yellow feathers encircling the eye
The common name, Yellow-Eyed Penguin, directly stems from its most noticeable physical features present in adult specimens. The defining characteristic is the pale yellow iris paired with a distinctive, broad band of yellow feathers that completely encircles the eye and sweeps around the back of the head. This specialized periorbital coloration serves as its primary visual marker, distinguishing it markedly from other penguin species, especially yellow-crested varieties whose ornamentation relies on plumes rather than this unique eye coloring.
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