Silver Spring, MD mascot

Silver Spring had the penguin craze down long before ‘‘Happy Feet” came along.

While penguins have become quite popular following the release of a movie about the flightless birds who find their soul mate through song — and for one little guy who can’t sing and dance — Silver Spring’s ‘‘unofficial mascot” has been two-stepping through the downtown for years.

So long, in fact, that the black-and-white bird can be seen on street corners, in the library, in Borders Books and Music, and by the Metro station, and no one really questions its presence.