Penguins... in Mass??

Question

I went fishing this morning off the tip of Plum Island. On the way back, along Water St and just before Newburyport, I saw about 3 penguins along the edge of the Merrimack. I stopped to take some photos, but they were with a cell phone.

Is it possible I saw some penguins hanging around out there? Is there another waterfowl species that looks like penguin?

Did I get too much sun today and am not seeing clearly??

Answer

It’s extremely unlikely that you saw actual penguins in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Penguins are native to the Southern Hemisphere and are not naturally found in the wild in North America. The birds you observed were almost certainly another species that shares some visual similarities with penguins, especially from a distance.

Several waterfowl species in New England can resemble penguins due to their upright posture, black-and-white coloring, or swimming behavior:

Common Merganser: These diving ducks have sleek black-and-white plumage and can appear “penguin-like” when swimming or standing upright on a riverbank.
Common Loon: Loons have striking black-and-white markings, long bodies, and can sometimes be mistaken for penguins while floating in water.
Brant or Black Brant Geese: Small, dark waterfowl with white markings that could look unusual to someone not expecting them.
Double-crested Cormorants: When perched upright on rocks or pilings, their posture and dark coloring might remind someone of a penguin at a glance.

Other possibilities include juvenile gulls or even domestic birds if there is a nearby rehabilitation center, although that is less likely. Sun glare, distance, or movement in the water can also distort perception, making familiar birds appear exotic.

In short, while it’s fun to imagine penguins in Massachusetts, what you likely saw were native waterfowl such as mergansers or cormorants. They can sometimes look quite unusual in the right light and angle, especially to someone observing quickly from a boat or shoreline.

Penguins... in Mass??

More Newburyport Travel Questions

The attractions mentioned in this question

Popular Destinations

Popular Travel Questions