Chapter 5a: Penguins
A few words about penguins
There are seventeen (or eighteen depending who is counting) species of penguins. They reside completely in the Southern Hemisphere; from the Equator to Antarctica. A penguin is a bird. Like all birds, penguins have feathers. Penguin feathers are smaller than most other birds and they have more of them than most other birds— nearly 71 feathers per square inch. In order to maintain their value as water-proof insulation, penguins must constantly preen their feathers. A gland near the base of a penguins tail secretes oil that a penguin will apply with its bill. Most birds have hollow bones, but penguins do not. Their small wings and high body weight make them unable to fly, however their large muscles make them great swimmers. Like many fish, all penguins are dark on their backs and light on their stomachs. This "counter-shading" helps to camouflage them in the water. Penguins breed largely on predator free islands. Some make nests in underground burrows, some in above ground nests, and still others make no nests at all holding the eggs on their feet instead. To find out where any of these species live, check out the interactive penguin map.
| Emperor penguin Aptenodytes forsteri size: 112 cm (44 in.), 27–41 kg (60–90 lb.) distribution: Antarctica ID: Largest of the 17 species, emperors have lemonyellow ear patches that open out onto the chest. prey: fishes, squids predators: leopard seals, killer whales, skuas population: 218,000 breeding pairs |
King penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus size: 94 cm (37 in.), 13.5–16 kg (30–35 lb.) distribution: subantarctic islands ID: A king penguin’s vivid orange, teardrop-shaped ear patches are closed off from the white chest. prey: squids, fishes predators: leopard seals, skuas, giant petrels, gulls, sheathbills population: 1.6 million breeding pairs |
Adélie penguin Pygoscelis adeliae size: 46–61 cm (18–24 in.), 3.5–4.5 kg (8–10 lb.) distribution: Antarctica ID: During the breeding season, adults have white eye-rings. Adélies have the typical black and white “tuxedo” penguin color pattern. prey: mainly krill predators: leopard seals, skuas, sheathbills population: 2.5 million breeding pairs |
| Gentoo penguin Pygoscelis papua size: 61–76 cm (24–30 in.), 5.5–6.5 kg (12–14 lb.) distribution: antarctic and subantarctic islands ID: A white band runs eye- to-eye across the head. prey: krill, squid predators: skuas, leopard seals, antarctic fur seals, New Zealand sea lions, Southern sea lions population: 317,000 breeding pairs |
Macaroni penguin Eudyptes chrysolophus size: 51–61 cm (20–24 in.), 4.5 kg (10 lb.) distribution: subantarctic islands in the Atlantic and Indian oceans ID: A crest of orange plumes extends backwards. prey: squids and krill predators: leopard seals, antarctic fur seals, skuas, sheathbills population: about 9 million breeding pairs —near threatened |
Rockhopper penguin Eudyptes chrysocome size: 41–46 cm (16–18 in.), 2.5 kg (5–6 lb.) distribution: subantarctic islands ID: Look for red eyes and drooping yellow crests that start behind the eyes. prey: fishes, squids, krill predators: New Zealand fur seals, New Zealand sea lions, Southern sea lions, skuas, gulls population: 1.8 million breeding pairs—vulnerable |
| Chinstrap penguin Pygoscelis antarctica size: 46–61 cm (18–24 in.), 4 kg (9 lb.) distribution: antarctic and South American islands ID: Look for a black “chinstrap” that runs under the chin. prey: krill, small fishes predators: leopard seals, skuas, sheathbills population: 7.5 million breeding pairs |
Fiordland crested penguin Eudyptes pachyrhynchus size: 61 cm (24 in.), 2.5–3 kg (6–7 lb.) distribution: subantarctic islands and New Zealand ID: Yellow crests above the eyes and a stout bill. prey: small fishes, crustaceans, cuttlefish predators: New Zealand fur seals, stoats population: 2,500 to 3,000 breeding pairs —vulnerable |
Royal penguin |
| Snares Island penguin Eudyptes robustus size: 64 cm (25 in.), 2.5–3 kg (6–7 lb.) distribution: south of New Zealand in the Snares Islands ID: Darker and larger than the similar Fiordland crested penguins, with a heavier bill. prey: squids, fishes predators: New Zealand sea lions population: 23,000 breeding pairs —vulnerable |
Erect-crested penguin Eudyptes sclateri size: 64 cm (25 in.), 2.5–3.5 kg (6–8 lb.) distribution: Australia; New Zealand; Bounty, Campbell, and Auckland Islands ID: An erect crest of feathers. prey: probably squids, fishes predators: New Zealand sea lions, New Zealand fur seals, Australian sea lions population: 50,000–60,000 breeding pairs —endangered |
Yellow-eyed penguin Megadyptes antipodes size: 76 cm (30 in.), 6 kg (3 lb.) distribution: southeast New Zealand ID: Look for yellow eyes and a yellow band that runs through each eye. prey: squids, small fishes predators: New Zealand sea lions population: 6,000 individuals —vulnerable |
| Fairy penguin Eudyptula minor size: 41 cm (16 in.), about 1 kg (2 lb.) distribution: southern Australia and New Zealand ID: Slate blue feathers and silver- gray eyes identify this penguin, the smallest of all 17 penguin species. prey: small fishes predators: Australian sea lions, fur seals, dogs, cats, stoats, ferrets population: about 700,000 to 1,200,000 individuals |
Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus size: 61–71 cm (24–28 in.), 5 kg (11 lb.) distribution: Falkland Islands and Chile and Argentina coasts ID: Look for two distinct brown chest stripes. prey: small fishes, cuttlefish predators: Southern sea lions, leopard seals, Patagonian foxes population: 1,300,000 pairs —near threatened |
Humboldt penguin Spheniscus humboldti size: 56–66 cm (22–26 in.), 4 kg (9 lb.) distribution: islands off western South America, and along the coasts of Peru and Chile ID: Look for just one chest stripe. prey: anchovetta (small fish) predators: sharks and Southern sea lions population: 33,000 individuals —endangered |
African penguin |
Galápagos penguin Spheniscus mendiculus size: 53 cm (21 in.), about 2.5 kg (5–6 lb.) distribution: Galápagos Islands ID: Galápagos penguins have a narrow white headstripe and almost totally black flippers. prey: small fishes predators: sharks, eared barn owls, Galápagos hawk, feral cats, dogs population: 1,500 to 4,000 pairs —endangered |
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Questions:
- Which species of penguin is the tallest_______________________, smallest ___________________________. Where does each of these species live?
- Check out two interactive penguin maps, one by Penguins of the World and another by PBS. Which penguin species lives the farthest north _______________________, where does it live ___________________. Which penguin species lives the furthest south _______________________, where does it live _____________________.
- What penguin species are the most common _______________________, and most endangered _____________________. Where does each of these species live?
- Take the penguin quiz. Be sure to record your answers.
- Provide an example of a penguin that nests by burrowing a hole in the ground _________________________. Provide an example of a penguin that makes a nest _____________________, finally explain how the emperor penguin keeps its egg from freezing in the Antarctic cold.
- Select one of the species of penguins that is endangered or threatened. Click on its attached link and explain what things are threatening the penguins existence.
- Watch Rodney the Penguin on a National Geographic Crittercam Dive. Explain his feeding strategy.
- The northern hemispere has no penguins. However, members of the family Alcidae or "Auk" are superficially like penguins in many ways. When two unrelated groups of species evolve similar traits, it is called convergent evolution. Click on the link to the Alcidae link and find out what characteristics they share with penguins.
- Penguins inhabit some of the coldest regions on the planet. Read a little bit about penguin thermoregulation and explain three ways that penguins retain heat.
- What is the difference between precocial and altricial birds? What type would penguins be precocial or altriacial?