Giant red-billed penguin (Liera)

The giant red-billed penguin (Notokumimanu ruberostrum) is a species of primitive penguin that is native to much of the coastlines of Agra on Liera. The giant red-billed penguin is closely related to, but not directly descended from the long-extinct Waimanu that was harvested from Earth to Liera during the Paleocene, having already adapted to the warm coastal areas of the continent, they have changed very little from their ancestors.

The giant red-billed penguin is a very large penguin, reaching the height of about 145 centimeters (4.7 feet) tall and weighing around 60–70 kilograms (132-154 lbs) on average, with a few exceptional specimens growing slightly larger. The adult giant red-billed penguin's flippers are black; the inner sides of the flippers are white. The face is black with a single white blotchy over each eye, which are dull brown; the very long bill is deep reddish-orange in color with a black tip, hence its name. The strong legs and the webbed feet are dark orange. Its short, stumpy legs give it a distinct waddle when it walks. The giant red-billed penguin's black back and white underside provide camouflage in the form of countershading when viewed from above or below, helping to avoid detection by its predators.

Compared with more derived penguin species, the feet of the giant red-billed penguin have a greater role in swimming than those of other penguins; this species isn't adapted to standing fully upright and its wings do not show the extreme specializations modern penguins have for an aquatic lifestyle, making the giant red-billed penguin the most basal of the living penguin species. The giant red-billed penguin is one of, if not the most aggressive living penguins of Liera, being known to attack rivals and potential threats with their sharp beaks, often causing major injuries and, rarely, deaths among Lieran people through impaling their internal organs with the penguin's beaks. The giant red-billed penguins forage in the open sea, where they feed on pelagic fish (such as small whalefish species) and marine invertebrates (such as squids and small crustaceans, primarily krills and shrimps). Giant red-billed penguins normally swim within 20 km (12 mi) of the shore. A giant red-billed penguin may consume up to 2.25 kilograms (4.96 lbs) of prey every day, but this may increase to over 2.84 kg (6.26 lbs) when raising older chicks. When foraging, giant red-billed penguins carry out dives that reach an average depth of 30 meters (100 feet) and last for 78 seconds, although a maximum depth of 70 meters (229 feet) and duration of 293 seconds has been recorded.

The giant red-billed penguin is monogamous; it breeds in colonies and pairs return to the same site each year. It has an extended breeding season, with nesting usually peaking from March to May in eastern Agra and April to June in southern Agra. A clutch of two eggs are laid either in burrows burrowed in guano or nests in the sand under boulders or bushes. Incubation is undertaken equally by both parents for around 55 days. At least one parent guards the chicks for about 1.5 months, whereafter the chicks join a crèche with other chicks and both parents spend most of the day foraging in the sea. Chicks fledge at 90 to 160 days, the timing depending on environmental factors such as the quality and availability of food. The fledged chicks then go to sea on their own, where they spend the next one to more than two years. They then return to their natal colony to moult into adult plumage. When giant red-billed penguins moult, they are unable to forage in the sea as their new feathers are not yet waterproof; therefore, they fast over the entire moulting period. Giant red-billed penguins typically take around four weeks to molt and lose about half of their body weight by burning up their fat reserves in the process. The average lifespan of an giant red-billed penguin is 10 to around 15 years in the wild and up to 20 in captivity.

The giant red-billed penguin is listed on CITES Appendix I, which means that all international commercial trade in giant red-billed penguins or their body parts is prohibited. It is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1995, as the sword-billed penguin is thought to have declined as much as 30-35%, as a result of habitat loss and persecution, being hunted after being blamed for attacks on Lieran people children, as a result of the species' aggression. The giant red-billed penguin is protected by the conservation laws and there are efforts to minimize persecution and habitat loss. Captive breeding programs may be beneficial for the species' survival.