  Although huddling was shown to be the key by which emperor penguins
(Aptenodytes forsteri) save energy and sustain their breeding fast during the
Antarctic winter, the intricacies of this social behavior have been poorly
studied. We recorded abiotic variables with data loggers glued to the feathers
of eight individually marked emperor penguins to investigate their
thermoregulatory behavior and to estimate their "huddling time budget"
throughout the breeding season (pairing and incubation period). Contrary to the
classic view, huddling episodes were discontinuous and of short and variable
duration, lasting 1.6+/-1.7 (S.D.) h on average. Despite heterogeneous huddling
groups, birds had equal access to the warmth of the huddles. Throughout the
breeding season, males huddled for 38+/-18% (S.D.) of their time, which raised
the ambient temperature that birds were exposed to above 0 degrees C (at
average external temperatures of -17 degrees C). As a consequence of tight
huddles, ambient temperatures were above 20 degrees C during 13+/-12% (S.D.) of
their huddling time. Ambient temperatures increased up to 37.5 degrees C, close
to birds' body temperature. This complex social behavior therefore enables all
breeders to get a regular and equal access to an environment which allows them
to save energy and successfully incubate their eggs during the Antarctic
winter.
