Mickey, the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium’s oldest macaroni penguin, celebrated a remarkable 40^th birthday on Sunday, November 17, 2024.

The beloved bird is one of the oldest penguins in North America. In the wild, penguins have a lifespan of 10-15 years. According to Association of Zoos and Aquariums species survival statistics, macaroni penguins in human care have a median life expectancy of 26.3 years.

Mickey’s longevity is testament to the excellent care she receives from Zoo staff. She hatched in 1984 and came to Pittsburgh from SeaWorld San Diego in 2003. Even after four decades, the Aquarium’s Golden Girl remains fabulously feisty.

“Mickey is a gem and the sweetest penguin in our colony! She was hand-reared and loves everyone that she meets,” says Aquarist Shanna Gay. “She is well-known to trumpet – a sound of happiness – when she meets new people!”

Mickey loves her morning swim, usually up before the younger birds when she has the penguin pool to herself. She then enjoys a long afternoon rest. Her favorite food right now is herring, but she also enjoys capelin and the occasional krill heart on an ice cake.

The birthday bird celebrated with a colorful ice cake designed especially for her, decorated with fish, shrimp, and scallop icing. She was serenaded by a birthday chorus of trumpets from her fellow penguins. and shared her birthday treat with them, followed by games with colored ice piles and bubbles.

Macaroni penguins are native to the Antarctic peninsula. The bird’s name has more to do with fashion than food. When English sailors discovered the bird in the18th century, a man who wore flashy feathers in his hat was called a “Macaroni” – the perfect name for a dapper bird with a striking yellow crest. Their breeding colonies are among the largest and densest in the penguin world – up to 100,00 individuals. Although it is the world’s most abundant penguin, there have been widespread population declines and the macaroni’s conservation status is classified as vulnerable.

Be sure to wish Mickey a Happy Birthday on your next visit to the Aquarium!