UK Wildlife Park Discovers Misgendered King Penguin After DNA Test

Birdland Park renames 10-year-old penguin 'Magnus' after years of being identified as female, impacting its breeding program.

A DNA test revealed that a king penguin at Birdland Park, previously named Maggie, is male and has been renamed Magnus.
The discovery came after keepers observed Magnus attempting to mate with male penguins, raising suspicions about his sex.
Magnus was brought to the UK from Denmark in 2016 as part of a breeding program aimed at increasing the king penguin population.
The misidentification highlights challenges in sexing penguins, as males and females are nearly identical in appearance and behavior.
Birdland plans to acquire a new female penguin from Germany to support its breeding efforts, with the arrival expected by January 2025.