First Steps Penguins - Spy in the Huddle

Penguins - behind their feisty charm lies an amazing character.

These cheeky birds have to bring up their chicks

against the most extraordinary odds.

Spycams discover just how special they really are.

THEY SQUAWK

From the freezing Antarctic...

..to the scorching tropics.

This is the story of nature's most devoted parents,

filmed as never before.

Throughout the long, dark days of the Antarctic winter,

Emperor penguins have endured the harshest weather on the planet.

But not all the penguins here are quite as they seem.

Emperorcam.

It is one of 50 spycameras

being used to film

three different types of penguin.

It has a camera in its body, as well as its eye.

It is about to witness a momentous event.

PENGUINS CHIRRUP

His egg has started to hatch.

The father cared for this

bundle of life for two whole months

while his partner was out at sea.

He hasn't fed. His only concern

has been the egg's survival.

The chick sees her father for the first time.

A moment that will create a bond between them.

Her dad proudly shows off his new baby to another father

whose egg is still to hatch.

CHICK CHIRPS

THEY CHIRRUP

CHICK CHIRPS

The chick's calls

encourage her unhatched neighbour

to emerge as well.

CHICK CHIRPS

In this way, the colony's young all arrive together.

The new chick joins over 2,000 others

that are starting to appear throughout the colony.

The new fathers have no time to celebrate. Their babies are hungry.

His supplies won't last long.

The chick's survival depends on her mother's return.

In the Falklands,

Rockhopper penguins are also under surveillance.

SPYCAM WHIRRS

Rockhoppercam not only has a camera in its eye,

it can walk to find the best locations.

It picks a prime spot to film the new chicks

that are arriving all over the colony.

Eggcams capture an even closer view.

Here, too, Dad's looking after the new baby.

But he has it easy - his shift only lasts two weeks.

He's on duty 24/7 and he must be prepared for anything...

..even an invasion.

Rockhoppercam spots the first arrival.

THEY SQUAWK

They are King cormorants and they're moving in.

THEY HONK AND SQUAWK

They make unruly neighbours

and they're a hazard to the chicks.

CHICK CHIRPS

They steal any nesting material they can find.

The Rockhoppers protect their chicks,

as their own nests vanish before their eyes.

THEY SQUAWK

The cormorants also squabble among themselves.

CHICKS CHIRP

In the brawl, his chick becomes separated.

And a cormorant runs right over him.

DISTRESSED CHIRP

His father hasn't noticed. He's still attacking the nest robbers.

Then, as the chaos subsides, he realises his chick has disappeared.

He looks in desperation.

CHICK CHIRPS

Then he hears his chick's call.

He's badly shaken, but alive.

CHICK CHIRPS FRANTICALLY

It's nothing some fatherly comfort can't heal.

The penguins' new rowdy neighbours make themselves at home.

It's just one of the many trials

the new chicks now face.

In Peru, our third penguin, the Humboldt,

returns to its desert nest.

They are the only mainland penguin to survive in the tropics.

They have their own dedicated spycamera - Humboldtcam.

SPYCAM WHIRRS

They rear their two chicks in burrows

to protect them from the baking sun and predators.

The parents share chick-rearing duties between them.

The male took the night shift,

hunting fish and squid just offshore.

As they rarely have to travel far,

compared with the two other penguins,

these lifelong couples spend a lot more time together.

But at home, it's hard to get any peace.

TERNS SQUAWK

Inca terns like these burrows too, especially those with a sea view.

Like Rockhoppers, the Humboldts dislike having neighbours too near.

But the terns aren't easily discouraged.

Being a penguin parent is a full-time job.

Humboldtcam will stay on watch.

The penguins will soon face far greater threats than a few terns.

In Antarctica,

more specialist spycams keep a close view on the Emperor penguins.

Eggcams are everywhere.

Robot Emperorcams, positioned in the colony,

give yet another view of their subjects.

To coincide with the chicks' arrival,

there's a new kid on the block.

Chickcam!

Its role is to capture a chick's viewpoint,

as the young develop and grow.

For now, the dads are still in charge.

Their chicks are hungry,

but the fathers

are running low on food stores.

He gives the little he has left, but these were his emergency rations.

His chick calls for more.

But there is nothing left.

The mothers are running late.

At this time of year, the sea they must cross can freeze for 50 miles.

The chick's future depends on

his mother arriving back in time.

At the Rockhopper colony,

the chicks face a more imminent danger -

Turkey vultures.

These scavengers

are quite prepared to attack live chicks,

-if they can.

-CHICKS CHIRP

The penguins use their body as a shield,

protecting their chicks.

The vulture can't penetrate the centre of the colony,

so he tries his luck along the borders.

SQUAWKING

But Rockhoppers are pugnacious birds.

He even leaves his nest, to drive the threat away.

It's a brave, but risky move.

Another vulture sneaks in and grabs his chick.

The colony can't protect itself

without risking more lives.

But reinforcements arrive.

The females, back from fishing.

Their massed ranks are an intimidating sight.

SQUAWKING

The vulture tries to eat what he can,

but the penguin army has other ideas.

THEY SQUAWK

While the vultures fight among themselves, the penguins hold back.

When the squabbling's over, they press home their attack.

THEY SCREECH FEROCIOUSLY

The vultures retreat

and the victors return

to their partners.

A well-earned celebration.

THEY CLUCK

The mother hasn't seen her chick before,

but she takes over responsibilities immediately.

Her first job is to give the chick

a fresh fish meal.

At the Emperor colony,

the dads are still waiting.

With no food left,

eating snow eases hunger and thirst.

But if their partners don't arrive soon,

the males will have to abandon their precious chicks

and return to the sea.

CHICK CHIRRUPS

Then, the sight they have waited for.

The females trekked across a frozen ocean

to arrive back in the nick of time.

The chick has never seen her mother.

She could be any one of

the new arrivals.

The mother is equally keen to see her new chick,

but she must first find her mate,

among more than 3,000 males.

She rushes into the crowd,

nothing stands in her way.

But there's a problem.

THEY CHITTER AND CLUCK

She's now stuck in the middle and no closer to finding her mate.

But the males have a solution.

They peel away and form an orderly line.

Their chicks are safely tucked in

the brood pouch between their legs.

To help their partners,

they have formed an identity parade.

The female inspects them, one by one.

THEY CHITTER

She finally catches sight of her mate...

..and calls to check it's really him.

Her partner takes himself out of the line.

A couple once more, she views her chick for the first time.

CHICK CHIRRUPS

It should be her turn to look after the baby,

but her partner's not so sure.

He may not have eaten for three months, but the bond

with his chick is stronger than hunger.

He finally accepts the inevitable,

but transferring the chick

needs perfect coordination.

Things could hardly have gone better.

It's time for the father to leave for the ocean,

but he's in no hurry.

He makes his decision...

CHICK CHIRRUPS

..then has second thoughts.

He endured the Antarctic winter all for the sake of this chick.

Saying goodbye isn't easy.

This time, there's no turning back.

The mother rewards her chick

with her first solid meal.

Lumps of fish so fresh, they appear as if they were caught yesterday.

Food is preserved for up to three months

by unique antibiotics in the penguin's stomach.

The male joins a leaving party.

They won't return from the sea for around four weeks.

THEY CHITTER

In Peru, when Humboldt penguins go fishing,

they are almost unrecognisable.

They are plastered with muck from their burrows.

THEY HONK

The desert sun will soon cake the dirt into their plumage

and they must take a bath to survive.

Unfortunately, it means leaving their chicks alone.

Predators have waited for this moment.

THEY SQUAWK

Belcher gulls - common killers of young chicks.

GULLS CAW

The chicks may seem defenceless, but they have a few surprises in store.

Their final deterrent is truly repulsive.

Gull's can't risk clogging their feathers.

It seeks a more wholesome meal.

At the Rockhopper colony,

it's time for a change of shifts.

The Rockhopper fathers have been relieved of parenting duties.

It's now their turn to go fishing.

THEY SQUAWK

They have a 100-metre cliff to get down.

They must take the knocks on the chin.

THEY SQUAWK

At the bottom, Rockcam prepares to film their departure.

Rockcam is here to observe, but some rules

are made to be broken.

They haven't been to sea for two weeks.

They will soon be back in their element.

WIND WHISTLES

The male Emperors have yet to reach the sea.

But sometimes, luck can go their way.

A seal hole in the ice.

It's a shortcut,

a portal to the ocean below.

After three months on land,

they will spend the next four weeks in the open ocean,

chasing fish along the edge of the ice sheet.

They're back in their natural home.

Before the Humboldts can take their bath,

they must cross a dangerous barrier.

Sea lions block their route to the sea.

SEA LIONS SNARL

Descending the cliff is the easy bit.

On the shore, they must walk on tiptoe

to avoid disturbing the sleeping giants.

Sea lions are deadly predators in the sea,

but they're lazy and sleepy on land.

It should be just a matter of

not waking them up.

The first finds a safe route.

The rest sneak up behind.

They squeeze between the mass of slumbering blubber and the rocks.

SEA LION BARKS

They're spotted...

SEA LIONS GROWL

..but they escape just in time.

The penguins make a last dash to the sea.

They need their bath.

Their plumage must be

in perfect condition for fishing.

A new Humboldtcam arrives.

It's a robotic submersible,

with a camera in its eye.

The shy penguins are relaxed in its presence

and they can be filmed underwater

for the first time.

The sea around is overflowing with fish.

The shoals thrive on the nutrients brought here

by the Humboldt current.

This cold upwelling

allows these penguins to survive

so close to the Equator.

But the fish shoals attract more than just penguins.

A fur seal surfaces near Humboldtcam.

Unlike sea lions, they rarely kill penguins,

but they do love

chasing them for fun.

If the penguins are to fish in peace,

they must brave the open ocean.

Back with the Emperors, the females are now firmly in charge.

Their first big challenge arrives - an Antarctic blizzard.

The penguins protect their chicks

by turning their backs to the wind.

THEY CHITTER

But soon, it's not enough.

The chicks are still exposed to the swirling winds.

To survive the worsening weather,

they must huddle closer together.

They start to gather in even greater numbers.

PENGUINS CHITTER

A huge mass of penguins

can share warmth and shelter.

But the crush means it's a risky place

for a young chick to be.

At first, penguins with chicks circulate on the outside,

avoiding the pressure within.

As the weather worsens,

they'll all have to look for a place to tuck in.

Eventually, a huge huddle forms.

THEY CHITTER

While those in the centre are warm and protected,

those on the outside are still struggling.

To share the heat around,

the penguins take tiny steps

to change position.

Waves of movement ripple through the huddle,

giving everyone a chance to have a go in the centre.

The huddle is so efficient, penguins in the inner core can even overheat.

As these penguins try to cool down,

the colony starts to break up.

The collapse acts as a release valve, shedding excess heat.

But it's dangerous for the chick.

As everyone moves position,

some mothers topple in the crush.

She tries to stop her full weight

falling on her chick.

Getting back up

is especially difficult,

with a chick nestled in her pouch.

Her care finally pays off.

She and her chick rejoin the huddle as it starts to reform.

Not all have been so lucky.

This penguin has been searching for

her lost chick.

SHE CALLS

SHE CONTINUES CALLING

She hopes it might still be alive.

Her pouch is the only lifesaver she knows.

A female companion

shows her concern.

SHE CALLS

The mother invested everything into her chick.

To lose it is a tragedy.

She will have to wait another year.

In Peru, the young chicks face other risks - they are hungry.

On the shore below, their mother returns from her fishing trip.

She has plenty of food, but getting back to her chicks won't be easy.

The sea lions have woken up.

Alone, she's an easy target.

A booby bird has already paid the price.

SEA LIONS GROWL

After a good sleep, the sea lions are ready for a meal.

They even clamber the rocks

that sometimes offer escape.

SEA LIONS SNARL

Using the enemy as stepping stones

is never going to work.

She freezes, trapped by several tons of immovable blubber.

THEY GROWL

She finds a gap, but doesn't get far.

PENGUIN HONKS

She keeps them at bay by pecking their noses.

But she can't reach her chicks while the sea lions are so active.

She must play a waiting game, but her chicks are hungry and alone.

In the Antarctic,

the chicks can no longer

squeeze into their mother's pouch.

Walking on Mum's feet

exercises the chick's legs,

before she takes steps of her own.

Some have yet to get the hang of it.

Even the experts can end up in trouble.

The chick's fluffy down and her mother's pouch

help cushion the blows.

She's become familiar with every kind of snow,

but she has yet to step foot on any of it herself.

This is about to change.

Her first baby step.

MOTHER PENGUIN CHITTERS

She stands on her own two feet

for the first time.

Like any toddler,

she's a bit unsteady.

But Mum offers tough love.

The ice is covered by tiny chicks,

all trying out their new legs.

for the mums, it can all get a bit confusing.

As the chicks gain confidence,

they start to hesitantly follow their mothers.

CHICKS CHIRRUP

But once she tastes freedom, there's no stopping her.

She tumbles out of sight of her mother.

CHICK CHIRRUPS

She struggles to regain her composure.

At this size, every lump of snow is like a boulder.

CHIRRUPING

Separated from her mother, the colony is a reassuring sight.

Back on the flat, her confidence returns.

She heads for the security of the huddle.

But now she's lost in the crowds...

..and out of sight of her mother.

Her mother calls.

LOUD CHIRPING

But her chick is lost in a penguin maze.

She starts to realise the danger she's in.

PENGUINS CHIRP

She won't survive alone for long.

In Peru, the cameras are operating using low-light technology.

The Humboldt chicks are long overdue a feed.

Their mother is still trapped on the beach with the sea lions.

But she has gained an advantage.

She often hunts at night,

so her night vision is better than the sea lions'.

This gives her confidence.

SEA LIONS GRUNT

She holds her ground, but sea lions

aren't the only danger here.

Vampire bats have woken up.

She tries to sneak away,

but the sea lions block her path.

The vampires skip among them, looking for a meal.

Sea lions make a larger target

and are easier to sneak up on.

But he feels the bat's razor incision.

It must find a less suspecting victim.

The bat's saliva encourages the blood to flow.

She's soon lapping it up.

With the sea lions distracted by the vampires,

the penguin creeps back to her nest.

Her hungry chicks finally get the meal they were waiting for.

In the Antarctic,

the weather is on the turn again...

..and the chick is still lost.

If her mother doesn't find her soon,

she'll perish. She calls.

But the deepening snow deadens the sound.

She's protected by down,

but it's not enough.

She's beginning to struggle against the cold.

Then, just in time, a mother's warmth.

In the Falklands, Rockhoppercam waits for the males

to return from their fishing trip.

In the two weeks they've been away, they may have travelled

over a thousand miles in their quest for food.

They arrive in small landing parties, but numbers build,

as they come ashore.

Rockhoppercam watches, as they start the long ascent

to their partners and chicks.

Popular routes form bottlenecks.

It's so easy to be in the wrong place.

But Rockhoppercam always picks itself back up again.

Their partners may be waiting,

but once over the first hurdle,

the males have other ideas.

They go to the spa.

This natural shower washes off the sea salt

that penetrates their feathers.

It also quenches their thirst.

The shower is in high demand.

Disputes break out over whose turn it is to have a go.

No-one can bathe in peace for more than a few moments.

But one smart penguin has an idea.

He deploys a mountaineering technique

known as a chimney climb.

And at the top,

all any penguin requires -

his own private power shower.

He's enjoying himself so much,

he's in no rush to get back to his partner.

While he was away,

the female hasn't left her chicks' side for a single moment.

Gulls watch for any lapse of concentration.

CHICK CHIRRUPS

They snatch a chick

the moment a back is turned.

Skuas add to the mounting toll...

..and soon, some pairs are left

without any chicks at all.

The bereaved couples are desperate.

They look for another chick

to care for,

and they don't mind

if it's someone else's.

They plan a kidnap.

The mother's defence is to sit tight

and stop her chick being stolen.

But the kidnappers

won't be put off easily.

Just in time, her partner returns,

spruced up from the shower.

He takes on the would-be kidnappers.

The fight gets even more heated,

but there are few tougher than a Rockhopper.

They can take the punishment, as well as dish it out.

The baby-snatchers have had enough

and the male returns to his mate.

He might need another shower,

but at least his chick is safe.

Kidnapping is also rife

in the Emperor colony.

The newly-walking chicks are irresistible to females

that have lost their own chicks

or failed to breed.

The mother tries to repel the kidnappers

with a few well-aimed pecks.

But they won't give up.

And others had the same idea.

The chick heads for the main colony,

hoping to find protection among the crowds.

She disappears in a mass of bodies...

..and reappears alone.

But it's only for a moment.

A large crowd has gathered,

all trying to adopt the chick.

She's soon overwhelmed by doting admirers.

One child snatcher tries to force

the chick into her pouch,

but she's way too big.

She makes a break for it,

then gives them the run-around through the colony.

Finally, they have her surrounded.

They're all desperate to mother her.

She's in danger

of being smothered with love.

But the fluffball is accidently flipped away...

..and caught by her mother.

She'll stay closer to her next time.

At the Rockhopper colony,

yet more predators are gathering.

A striated caracara,

another chick hunter.

As ever, the Rockhoppers

leap to the colony's defence.

The caracara finds what he thinks

is an easy meal.

With all the real eggs hatched,

eggcam is an irresistible temptation.

It not only looks like a real egg...

..it rolls like one too.

With eggcam finally in his claws,

he does what comes naturally -

takes it into the air.

A quick readjustment,

and eggcam captures the first aerial

of a penguin colony, shot by a flying bird.

But then eggcam slips from his grasp.

But immediately, it catches the eye of a turkey vulture.

The game continues with different players.

Finally, eggcam is back in the Rockhopper colony.

This childless couple can hardly believe their luck.

Eggcam is a gift from the skies.

She tenderly takes it into her nest.

For a few moments,

she even tries to incubate it.

But she won't be fooled for long.

Back in Peru, the rest of the fishing party have finally arrived.

While they've been away, the nesting colony has undergone an invasion

far greater than anything the Rockhoppers have faced.

Their numbers

have to be seen to be believed.

There are half a million birds in all.

Guanay cormorants.

Global weather has pushed the birds southwards

and they've gathered in far greater numbers than normal.

For the returning males, it's utterly bewildering.

For the females and their young,

it's a disaster.

The cormorants nest outside the colony,

but the penguins and their chicks

are just where these invaders

prefer to take off.

Their chicks could easily be trampled

if the cormorants overshoot the runway.

The young take cover

as the invaders move ever closer,

pushed forward by the others,

eager to take off.

And that was just the start.

Thousands upon thousands are stacked up behind.

The Humboldts just have to hold their ground

and protect their chicks the best they can.

She shields her offspring.

She has never experienced anything like it.

She even tries to snatch the cormorants from the air.

As the cormorants stream out to sea,

the pressure is released.

It takes a whole hour for them to leave.

With most of the cormorants gone,

the males can finally return to their young.

The family is reunited,

and Dad has brought back dinner.

At the Emperor colony,

the freezing winter

has kept other predators at bay.

But spring brings new dangers.

A giant petrel suddenly arrives,

looking for a meal.

He weighs up his options.

Chicks protected by their mother are difficult to catch.

Mum's pouch is now of little use,

it just hides the danger from view.

But it's the mother that keeps the petrel at bay.

While some rely on their mother for protection,

others huddle together.

He tests the group's reaction,

to see if any will run.

By breaking up the huddle,

he can isolate a victim.

He gets one.

But he only has it by her feathers.

She breaks free

and runs to her mother.

PENGUIN SQUAWKS

Petrels are huge birds,

but they still won't mess with

an adult Emperor.

Protected by her mother,

the chick survived another day.

But soon, the parents will leave

and these chicks have to stand on their own two feet.

Next time, from the frozen Antarctic

to the scorching desert,

we discover the challenges

faced by all our chicks,

as they learn to become adult penguins.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd