Madder Cliffs

Named for their distinct red coloring, these Joinville Island cliffs are home to a large colony of Adélie penguins and other birds

Madder Cliffs

Region: Antarctica

Destinations: Weddell Sea

The madder-colored Madder Cliffs

Near Kinnes Cove, on the west side of Joinville Island, lie the aptly named Madder Cliffs. Rising steeply to roughly 305 meters (1,000 feet) above sea level, their name comes from the red color of the rocks and its similarity to the vegetable pigment madder.

A portion of the Madder Cliffs have been designated an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International, as a rookery of some 22,000 Adélie penguins breed there. Gentoos, snowy sheathbills, and kelp gulls also call these picturesque cliffs home, so remember to bring your camera – and also to put it down occasionally just to enjoy the show.

Main image by Sara Jenner

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