Is it true that there is a species of penguins that lay more eggs than they are capable of incubating?

serpa

In some species the second hatchling won't live long. A nest of eggs is called a clutch, and with the exception of emperor and king penguins, clutches usually contain two eggs. (Emperor and king penguins lay a single egg. ) A clutch with more than one egg presents a better chance of at least one chick surviving (del Hoyo, et al., 1992). a. In the Eudyptuia, Spheniscus, and Pygoscelis genera, the first-laid egg is generally larger than the second, and usually hatches first (except in the chinstrap species) (Lamey, 1990). Usually the first chick to hatch has the survival advantage since it will already have fed and will be larger by the time the second egg hatches (del Hoyo, et al., 1992). The second, usually smaller, chick cannot compete with the larger chick for food and usually perishes (Lamey, 1990). b. In the Eudyptes genus, the second-laid egg and subsequent chick is usually the larger of the two. The second chick usually is the survivor. Researchers have yet to find an adequate theoretical explanation for this reversed pattern (Davis and Darby, 1990). c. The chinstrap and yellow-eyed species usually lay two eggs. Parents typically raise both chicks, which are nearly equal in size (Davis and Darby, 1990). http://www.seaworld.org/infobooks/Penguins/reproduction.html Jan 26 10, 10:03 AM