Where penguins live

There are 18 different types of penguins. They are found only in the Southern Hemisphere. Many live on the mainland and islands of Antarctica. They are also found along the cool coasts of Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and South America. The Gálapagos penguin is unusual in that it lives in the tropics near the equator.

Physical characteristics

Most penguins have a black back and a white belly. They may also have lines of black across their upper breast or spots of white on their head. Different types range in height from 14 to 45 inches (36 to 114 centimeters). The largest type is the emperor penguin, which weighs about 80 pounds (36 kilograms).

The wings of a penguin are short, paddlelike flappers that are entirely useless for flight. Instead they are used for swimming. Penguins can swim at speeds of more than 25 miles (40 kilometers) per hour. Their bodies glide easily through the water. Often when swimming at high speeds they leap out of the water onto land or ice. Such leaps can carry them up as far as 6 feet (1.8 meters).

The penguin's very short feathers help to store warm air and provide insulation at very cold temperatures. Thick coats of fat also protect penguins from the cold. Penguins have short legs, which gives them an odd walk. They can, however, run quickly. To travel over ice and snow, penguins slide on their belly. Penguins defend themselves with their flippers and beak.

Behavior

A penguin's diet depends on where it lives. Most of the smaller southern penguins eat shrimplike animals called krill, which are found in Antarctic waters. Some penguins also feed on squid, cuttlefish, and small fishes. The total weight of food eaten by a large penguin colony often exceeds several tons per day.

Penguins live in nesting colonies. Some species travel long distances to their nesting colonies. They return to the same place, the same nest, and the same partner year after year. Penguins use the sun as a directional aid. This explains how even emperor penguins, which do not make nests, find the same spot to lay their eggs every year. Adult penguins molt, or shed their feathers, once a year after the breeding period.

Life cycle

Breeding varies among the different types of penguins. Most types breed once a year. Most penguins build a nest on the ground with pebbles, mud, vegetation, or any other materials that are available. The females then lay one or two chalky white eggs. Both parents help keep the eggs warm until they hatch, which happens after about 35 days. The baby birds are born covered with down. When the chicks grow bigger the parents leave them to search for food. After returning the parents call out to their chicks and can recognize them by their voice and appearance.

The breeding behavior of the emperor penguin is quite different from the other types. After laying a single egg, the female leaves to feed. The male stays with the egg, cradling it between the top of his feet and his stomach for two months. By the time the eggs hatch, the male has lost a third of its body weight. When the female returns to care for the chicks, the male returns to the water for food and rest.