There are 18 species of penguins. In this article we will look at the main types of penguins with brief description. And in this article the life of penguins is described in more detail, since they basically have the same lifestyle and habits. Let's look at the distinctive features below.
The emperor penguin is the largest representative of the penguins. It can reach a height of up to 140 cm, and its weight can exceed 40 kg. Females are slightly smaller than males. It is distinguished by orange coloring on the neck and cheeks. Chicks are born with gray or white down. Emperor penguins are capable of diving to depths of about 500 meters. They hunt in groups.
An Emperor penguin egg hatches for 70-100 days. First the female sits on the egg, then the male replaces her. A penguin can sit on an egg for up to 50 days without eating. After being replaced by another penguin, the second parent goes to sea to hunt. They live on the continent of Antarctica.
Slightly smaller than the Emperor penguins are the King penguins. Their height is approximately 1 meter, and their weight ranges around 20 kg. They are distinguished from other penguins by bright orange spots on their cheeks and neck. King penguin chicks have brown down when they are born.
During the courtship dance, the male makes loud sounds and raises his head up so that the female can see orange spots, which indicate sexual maturity. When the female becomes interested in the penguin, they begin to dance together. Their heads go up and down, and then they put their heads on each other's necks. Mating lasts only up to 10 seconds, and the process of dancing and mating is repeated again.
A representative of this penguin species is quite small. The penguin's height reaches only 60 cm, and its body weight reaches 3 kg. This penguin is distinguished by a yellow stripe of feathers above its eyes, as well as protruding black feathers on its head, which create a shaggy effect. The penguin's eyes are red. Divided into the southern crested and northern crested penguins.
Medium sized penguin. Distinctive feature there are golden tufts of feathers above the eyes and on the head. At the same time, the black feathers do not stick out, only the gold ones. The height of such a penguin is approximately 70-80 cm, and its weight reaches 5-6 kg. The eggs hatch for 35 days. Also, parents replace each other during incubation.
The smallest member of the penguin family. The height of such penguins is usually up to 40 cm, and their weight is up to 1.5 kg. It differs in the color of the feathers on the back, wings and head - they are dark blue. This species of penguin has become famous for the most faithful relationships between penguin pairs. Sometimes loyalty lasts a lifetime. Little penguins live in the south of mainland Australia. While on sandy beaches, they can dig holes. Penguins dive shallowly - only up to 50 meters deep. The eggs hatch for 30-40 days. After 50-60 days, the chicks are ready for independent life.
A representative of this species is 70-80 cm tall and weighs up to 7 kg. Distinguished from other penguins by the yellow stripe around the eyes. The beak and paws are red. Unlike other penguins, they rarely form colonies. A very rare species of penguin. Their number is estimated at only about 4,000 pairs. The species is endangered. In 2004, for unknown reasons, 50-75% of all hatched chicks died.
It is also a representative of the medium-sized penguins. Height is 60-70 cm, and weight is approximately 7 kg. A distinctive feature of this penguin is the white ring of feathers around its eyes. They live a little over 10 years. Lives on the continent of Antarctica.
A bit close to Adelie penguins. Height is approximately 60-70 cm, but weight is smaller - up to about 5 kg. Distinguished by a white stripe of feathers on the head that extends from ear to ear. The male also incubates the eggs alternately with the female for about 35 days. It is this type of penguin that is capable of moving away from the coast into the open sea at distances of up to 1000 km. And they are capable of diving to a depth of 200-250 meters.
The Gentoo penguin is one of the largest penguin species. Its height reaches up to 90 cm, and its weight can reach 9 kg. Females are smaller than males. It is distinguished by a white patch of feathers near the eyes. They are record holders for underwater swimming. Capable of reaching speeds of up to 36 km/h! They dive to a depth of 200 meters.
It is a unique representative of the penguin species. And its uniqueness lies in its habitat. This is the only species of penguin that lives only a few tens of kilometers from the equator. The air temperature there ranges from 19-28 degrees Celsius, and the water temperature is 22-25 degrees. The Galapagos penguins themselves are quite small. Their height is up to 50 centimeters and their weight is up to 2.5 kilograms. A stripe of white feathers runs from the neck to the eyes. Unfortunately, this species is endangered. There are only about 2,000 adult pairs.
Types of penguins video:
These penguins are also called Donkey penguin, African penguin or Black-footed penguin. Makes sounds very similar to the sounds of a donkey. Lives in the south of the continent of Africa. The height of penguins of this species ranges up to 70 cm, and their weight is approximately 5 kg. Distinctive feature These penguins have a narrow black stripe on their belly in the shape of a horseshoe. Around the eyes there is a pattern similar to glasses.
If you liked this material, share it with your friends on in social networks. Thank you!
The previous post suggested a topic for me to look into on the Internet. So I decided to learn more about penguins, and at the same time I’ll tell you.
Penguins (lat. Spheniscidae)- a family of flightless seabirds, the only one in the order of penguins (Sphenisciformes). There are 18 species in the family. Next I will show you all of them in more detail.
There are two options for where the name “penguin” comes from: from the Welsh pen (head) and gwyn (white) denoting the extinct great auk (Pinguinus impennis) from the auk family. And sailors named penguins the same way because of their similarity. From the Latin word “pinguis” - “fat” this is confirmed by the fact that in many European languages the word “penguin” is associated with the word “fat”
The largest of the modern representatives is the emperor penguin (height - 110-120 cm, weight up to 46 kg), the smallest are representatives of the species Eudyptula minor - the little penguin (height 30-40 cm, weight 1-2.5 kg). And here he is:
Penguins are distinguished from all other birds by a very special body structure. Penguins have a streamlined body shape, which is ideal for moving in water. The forelimbs of penguins are nothing more than flippers. The musculature and structure of the bones allows them to work underwater with their wings almost like propellers. Unlike other flightless birds, penguins have a sternum with a clearly defined keel. Swimming underwater differs from flying in the air in that the same energy is expended in raising the wing as in lowering it, since water resistance is greater than air resistance, therefore the shoulder blades of penguins have a larger surface area on which the muscles are attached, compared to other birds. responsible for lifting the wing. The humerus and forearm bones are connected at the elbow straight and motionless, which increases the stability of the wing.
The pectoral muscles are unusually developed and sometimes account for up to 30% of body weight, which is several times greater than the muscles of the most powerful flying birds. The femurs are very short knee-joint motionless, and the legs are noticeably shifted back, which causes an unusually straight gait. Large feet with a swimming membrane are relatively short - when on land, animals often rest, standing on their heels, while the rigid tail feathers serve as additional support for them. The tail of penguins is greatly shortened, since the steering function, which it usually has in other waterfowl, is performed primarily by the legs in penguins. The second clear difference between penguins and other birds is bone density. All birds have tubular bones, which makes their skeleton lighter and allows them to fly or run fast. But in penguins they are similar to the bones of mammals (dolphins and seals) and do not contain internal cavities.
Within their habitat, penguins are exposed to extreme climatic conditions and have different anatomical features that allow them to adapt to these conditions. Thermal insulation is primarily served by a thick - from 2 to 3 cm - layer of fat, above which there are three layers of waterproof, short, tightly adjacent feathers and evenly distributed throughout the body. Penguins do not have apteria - areas of skin devoid of feathers, unlike almost all other birds; The exception is some tropical species, which have apteria on the front part of the head.
The air in the layers of feathers also effectively protects against heat loss when in water. Penguins also have a well-developed “heat transfer system” in their fins and legs: the arterial blood entering them transfers heat to colder blood. venous blood, flowing back to the body, thus reducing heat loss to a minimum. This process is called the "reverse flow principle". On the other hand, penguin species living in tropical waters have to cope with overheating. Their fins, in relation to their body size, are large area, thus the surface from which heat transfer occurs is increased. In addition, some species also lack facial plumage, which accelerates the process of heat transfer in the shade.
The numerous small, undifferentiated, rather hair-like feathers that make up the plumage, in almost all species of penguins, are grayish-blue on the back, turning into black, and white on the belly. This coloring is camouflage for many marine animals (for example, dolphins). Males and females are very similar, although males are slightly larger. Most crested penguins (Eudyptes) have a very noticeable orange-yellow head decoration. The plumage of the cubs is often gray or brown, but in some species the sides and belly are white. After hatching eggs and raising chicks, penguins begin molting - changing their plumage.
During molting, penguins shed a large number of feathers at once and during this time they are unable to swim in the water and remain without food until new feathers grow. New feathers grow under the old ones and seem to push them out. During this period, which lasts from two to six weeks in different species, birds use fat reserves twice as fast. Subantarctic penguins (Pygoscelis papua) and Galapagos penguins (Spheniscus mendiculus) do not have a clear molting period; in these species it can begin at any time between hatching chicks. In birds that do not hatch chicks, molting almost always begins earlier than in others.
Penguins' eyes are perfectly adapted to underwater swimming conditions; The cornea of their eyes is very flat, as a result of which birds are slightly myopic on land. Another means of adaptation is the contractility and extensibility of the pupil, which is especially pronounced in Emperor penguins that dive to great depths. Thanks to this feature, penguins' eyes very quickly adapt to changing light conditions in water at a depth of up to 100 m.
They also have natural enemies. Yes, and they’re so toothy. The link to a detailed post about them is at the very end of the article.
Analysis of the pigment composition allows us to conclude that penguins see in the blue part of the spectrum better than in the red, and probably even perceive ultraviolet rays. Since light from the red part of the spectrum is scattered already in the upper layers of water, this feature of vision is likely the result of evolutionary adaptation. Penguin ears, like those of most birds, do not have a clear external structure. When diving, they are tightly closed with special feathers, so that water does not penetrate inside the ear. In Emperor penguins, the edge of the outer ear is also enlarged so that it can be closed, thereby protecting the middle and inner ear from pressure damage that can be caused by diving to great depths. Underwater, penguins make almost no sounds, but on land they communicate through calls that resemble the sounds of a trumpet and rattle. It has not yet been established whether they use hearing to track prey and detect their natural enemies.
Penguins feed on fish - Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarcticum), anchovies (Engraulidae) or sardines (in Clupeidae), as well as crabs such as krill, or small cephalopods, which they hunt by swallowing directly under water. If different types share the same habitat, their diet, as a rule, differs.
The average speed that penguins develop in water is from five to ten kilometers per hour, but higher rates are possible over short distances.
The fastest way to travel is “dolphin swimming”; in this case, the animal jumps out of the water for a short time, like a dolphin. The reasons for this behavior are not clear: it probably helps to reduce current resistance, or is intended to confuse natural enemies.
In diving, some penguins break records: smaller species such as the subantarctic penguin (Pygoscelis papua) can stay underwater for one or (rarely) more than two minutes and dive to depths of 20 meters, but Emperor penguins can stay underwater for 18 minutes and dive to more than 530 meters. Although it is the superpowers of Emperor penguins that remain poorly understood to this day, it is known, however, that when diving, the animal’s pulse is reduced to one-fifth of its resting heart rate; Thus, oxygen consumption is reduced, which allows you to increase the duration of stay under water with the same volume of air in the lungs. The mechanism for regulating body pressure and temperature when diving to great depths remains unknown.
When leaving the water, penguins can jump over the height of the coastline up to 1.80 m. Due to their relatively short legs on land, penguins move by waddling from side to side - this method of movement, as biomechanical studies have proven, saves a lot of energy. On ice, penguins can also move quickly - they slide down mountains while lying on their stomachs. Some species travel many kilometers between the sea and the place where their colony has settled.
Classification
The Penguin family (lat. Spheniscidae) contains 6 genera, 18 species:
Genus Aptenodytes (Imperial)
Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)
Breeds along the coast of Antarctica on ice, south of 78° south latitude.
Its body length is 110-120 cm. Weight is 20-45 kg.
The first pairs begin to be created in April, after 25 days it is postponed white egg, the only one during the breeding season. The female holds the egg on her paws for some time, covering it with a special fold of skin on the underside of her abdomen. After a few hours it is transmitted to the male. After this, the females, one after another, go to sea. This goes on for about two months, and when the time for the chicks to hatch approaches, at the end of July the females, well-fed and fat, begin to arrive from the sea. Each female finds her male by voice. The male, hungry for 4 months, hastily gives the egg to his girlfriend and hurries to the sea.
Feeds on small fish, small cephalopods and planktonic crustaceans, mainly euphausiid crustaceans
King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonica)
Lives further north, in warmer places. Breeding colonies are located on the islands of South Georgia, Kerguelen, Marion, Crozet and Macquarie.
Body length is 91-96 cm. Colonies are located on hard rocky soil. Reproduction occurs in summer: eggs are laid mainly in December - January. Each female lays only 1 large egg. Both parents incubate alternately. Incubation duration 54 days
Genus Eudyptes (Crested)
Rockhopper penguin or rock climber penguin, rock penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome)
There are 3 subspecies:
Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome
Eudyptes chrysocome filholi
Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi
It lives on the rocky islands of the subantarctic region, but is sometimes found further north, on the southern tip of Africa and South America, as well as on the southern coast of New Zealand.
Reaches 45-58 cm in height, weight 2-3 kg.
It nests in large colonies on the barren and very harsh islands of Tristanda Cunha and Heard Island. In a noisy and crowded colony, the small first egg is usually lost in quarrels with neighbors. The chicks go to the nursery, but return to the nest when their parents call them to feed them. The chicks grow quickly and at the age of 10 weeks are ready to go to sea.
Victoria penguin or crested thick-billed penguin (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus)
It nests only on the rocky, creviced coast of South Island in New Zealand, as well as on two small offshore islands - Stuart and Solander.
Reaches 60 cm in length, weighing about 3 kg.
Golden-crested snar penguin or crested snar penguin (Eudyptes robustus)
The Snares Islands, a chain stretching south of New Zealand, are the only habitat for these penguins.
Reaches 63 cm in height, weighing about 3 kg.
Lives in favorable conditions of a temperate climate. The waters off the Snares Islands are warm enough that penguins rarely swim south beyond the sub-Antarctic region
Schlegel's penguin or Macquarie penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli)
It lives on the barren, deserted Macquarie Island, located in the Pacific Ocean in close proximity to the Antarctic belt.
Size, appearance and his habits are similar to the golden-haired pengiguin.
Reaches 65-75 cm in length, weighing 5.5 kg
Great crested penguin (Eudyptes sclateri)
Breeds only on four small islands south of New Zealand. Large colonies are located on the Antipodes Islands and Bounty Island, small colonies are located on Auckland and Campbell Islands.
Reaches 65 cm in height, weighing about 2.5-3.5 kg.
Golden-haired penguin or Macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus)
Distributed throughout the southern Atlantic and Indian oceans. They breed on South Georgia, South Shetland, South Orkney and some other subantarctic islands.
Body length 65-76 cm.
Their colonies are very numerous - up to 600 thousand nesting individuals. They nest on the ground, making very primitive nests. 2 eggs are laid. Hatching duration is 35 days, with changes of parents characteristic of penguins
Genus Eudyptula (Small)
Little penguin, elf penguin, little blue penguin, little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor)
It stays off the southern coast of Australia, along the coasts of Tasmania, New Zealand and Chatham Island.
It has a body length of only 40 cm. Usually lays 1-2, sometimes 3 eggs.
White-winged penguin, northern little penguin, little northern penguin (Eudyptula albosignata)
Body length is about 30 cm and weight is 1.5 kg. Breeds only on Motunau Island, near Canterbury (New Zealand), and is endangered.
Genus Megadyptes (Magnificent)
Magnificent penguin, yellow-eyed penguin, Antipodean penguin, Hoiho penguin (Megadyptes antipodes)
Breeds along the southern coast of the New Zealand islands and on Stewart, Auckland and Campbell Islands in September - November.
The body length reaches 83 cm.
These birds do not form colonies and usually nest in separate pairs. Young penguins (at the age of 3 years) lay 1 egg, older penguins almost always lay 2 eggs. The incubation period of the magnificent penguin is 4 weeks. Sexual maturity of birds apparently occurs in the 4-5th year of life.
Genus Pygoscelis (Antarctic)
Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae)
Breeds along the shores of the Antarctic continent and on islands close to the mainland: South Shetland, South Orkney and South Sandwich. Outside the nesting season, it wanders widely, moving 600-700 km from its native places.
This is a fairly large bird, up to 80 cm high. Nesting colonies are located on hard, snow-free ground. In individual colonies there are several tens of thousands of birds. There are usually 2 eggs in a clutch, which are laid with an interval of 2-4 days. The duration of their incubation is 33-38 days.
Chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica)
It lives mainly on the barren islands of the subantarctic region.
It reaches a height of 71-76 cm and weighs 4 kg.
These penguins are quite aggressive. There are known cases of these birds attacking people approaching the colony. Unlike other species, they feed both their chicks.
Subantarctic penguin, Gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua)
These birds nest in Antarctica and on islands in the sub-Antarctic region, including the Falkland Islands and Crozet Islands. Nests are made among tufts of turfy grass.
Lay 2 eggs. The chicks have to fight for their parents to feed them. The parent runs away, and the children try to catch up with him. The larger and stronger older chick usually wins the race; the second chick is fed only if there is a lot of food. Otherwise he dies. With a height of 75-90 cm and a weight of about 6 kg, this penguin is the largest representative of the genus of long-tailed penguins.
Genus Spheniscus (spectacled)
Donkey penguin, African penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
Distributed off the southern and southwestern coasts of Africa.
Body length 61-86 cm.
Reproduction occurs throughout the year, mainly in May-June.
Galapagos penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus)
This is the only penguin that breeds in the tropics. The female lays 2 eggs in rock crevices in the colder season (May-June).
This is the smallest representative of the spectacled penguin genus, reaching a height of 53 cm and weighing 2-2.5 kg.
Despite the fact that Galapagos penguins live on islands where temperatures often rise to 38°C, they find food in the cold waters of the Cromwell Current.
Humboldt penguin, Peruvian penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)
Inhabits islands off the west coast South America, coast of Peru and Chile.
Reaches a height of 55-56 cm, with a weight of 5 kg.
Endangered; there are less than 10 thousand birds
Magellanic penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus)
It lives on the rocky, windswept southern coast of South America and the Falkland Islands.
Reaches a height of 70 cm and weighs about 4 kg.
On the shore during the breeding season, these birds are very timid and, when they see a person, they hide in their deep nests, but in the water they are not at all afraid of people and can be quite aggressive. The population of these birds is quite large (1-2 million) and seems quite stable
Penguins live in the open seas of the Southern Hemisphere: in the coastal waters of Antarctica, New Zealand, southern Australia, South Africa, along the entire west coast of South America from the Falkland Islands to Peru, as well as on the Galapagos Islands near the Equator. Penguins prefer cool weather, so in tropical latitudes they appear only with cold currents - the Humboldt Current on the west coast of South America or the Benguela Current, which arises at the Cape of Good Hope and washes the west coast South Africa.
Most species live between 45° and 60° south latitude; the largest concentration of individuals is in Antarctica and on the adjacent islands.
The northernmost habitat of penguins is the Galapagos Islands, located near the equator.
Penguins most often nest in large colonies, often numbering tens of thousands of pairs or more. Both parents alternately take part in incubating the eggs and feeding the chicks. The chicks feed on semi-digested fish and crustaceans regurgitated by their parents. The cubs find refuge from the cold in the lower folds of the parent's abdomen.
In cold Antarctic regions, one egg is hatched; in temperate and warm regions, there may be several eggs.
and some interesting facts briefly:
All penguins live in the southern hemisphere, sometimes going far to the north (to the Galapagos Islands, almost at the equator) or to densely populated cities (the North Harbor area in Sydney, Australia). Cody's homeland is Shiverpool in Antarctica, but he is happy to live on the tropical island of Pen Gu.
Penguins can stand upright because their webbed feet are located at the very end of their bodies. This is also what makes them such fast and strong swimmers, especially when combined with their oar-shaped wings. This is how Cody manages to catch up with Mikey the whale and get a ticket to the Big Z tournament.
Description of the bird
All penguins have a streamlined body, well-developed muscles and wings that act like propellers underwater. The keel is clearly defined on the sternum. The feet are large and short with a swimming membrane: on land, penguins often rest standing on their heels; the rigid plumage of the tail also serves as support for them. Penguins have a very short tail, since their steering function is performed by their legs, unlike other seabirds.
The plumage of most species on the back is grayish-blue, which turns into black, and the belly is white. This color serves as a good camouflage for penguins. Cubs of gray or Brown, occasionally with white sides and belly.
Penguins change plumage after hatching eggs and raising young. During the molting period, birds shed many feathers at once and become unable to swim, which is why they are deprived of the opportunity to obtain food for themselves until new feathers grow.
All penguins have a thick layer of fat, 2-3 cm, above which there are three layers of feathers: short, dense, waterproof. This reliable thermal insulation protects birds from exposure to extreme temperatures in their habitats.
Beneath the surface of the water, penguins make virtually no sounds; on land, they communicate using cries that are similar to the sounds of trumpets and rattles.
The main food of penguins is fish: Antarctic silverfish, anchovies or sardines, as well as crustaceans (euphausiids, krill), small cephalopods. Penguins catch and swallow such prey directly under water.
Species that feed on small crustaceans require regular feeding. And penguins, who eat large fish, spend much less time and energy on hunting.
During the period of plumage change, and in some species also during hatching of chicks, birds completely refuse food. This period of fasting lasts from one month for Adélie and crested penguins to three and a half months for emperor penguins. At the same time, penguins lose about half of their body weight, as they use the energy of their fat reserves.
Penguins drink sea water. And excess salt is released through special glands that are located above their eyes.
Bird distribution
Penguins are common in the open sea of the Southern Hemisphere (coastal waters of Antarctica, New Zealand, southern Australia, South Africa, on the coast of South America from the Falkland Islands to Peru, on the Galapagos Islands).
These birds prefer cool climates, so they can appear in tropical latitudes only with cold currents
The warmest place where penguins live is the Galapagos Islands, which are located near the equator.
Common types of penguins
Body length 55-65 cm, weight from 2 to 3 kg. It lives on the islands of the Subantarctic, Tasmania and Tierra del Fuego, on the mainland coast of South America.
The plumage color is white below and bluish-black above. Narrow yellow “eyebrows” ending in tassels are noticeable on the face. There are black feathers on the top of the head. The wings are strong and narrow. The eyes are small. The legs are short.
Body length from 55 to 60 cm, weight 2-5 kg (average 3 kg).
The head and body are painted black, the belly is white, and there are white spots on the cheeks. There are cross-shaped yellow stripes at the base of the beak. The chicks are grayish-brown on the back with a white breast and belly.
The species is widespread on the Stewart and Solander Islands and in New Zealand.
Endemic to the small Snares Archipelago, with an area of 3.3 km², it is the smallest range of all penguins. About 30,000 pairs live in this territory.
Body length is about 55 cm, weight up to 4 kg. The back is black, the belly is white, the beak is red. There is a yellow crest above the eyes.
Medium sized penguin. Adults are 70 cm long and weigh about 6 kg. This species nests only on Macquarie Island. But it spends most of its life in the open ocean.
Externally, the Schlegel penguin resembles a golden-haired penguin.
The bird's body length reaches 65 cm, weight from 4 to 5 kg. Females are smaller than males in size. The chicks are grayish-brown on the back and white on the belly. The plumage on the back, wings and head is black, chin, throat and cheeks white. From the nostrils through the dark red eyes along the top of the head there are two light yellow tufts. Unlike its closest relatives, the penguin can move its feather decoration.
Lives near Australia and New Zealand, nesting on the Antipodes, Bounty, Campbell and Auckland islands. The species is listed in the Red Book as endangered.
Body length is from 65 to 76 cm, body weight is about 5 kg. The back and head are feathered black, the belly is white, and above the eyes there are tufts of golden-yellow feathers that form a characteristic crest.
Golden-haired penguins live in colonies in the southern Atlantic and Indian oceans. They nest on the islands of South Georgia, South Shetland, South Orkney, and South Sandwich.
Body length from 30 to 40 cm, average weight 1.5 kg. The head, upper back and wings are blue. The back is dark, almost black, the chest and top of the legs are light gray or white. The beak is dark gray. Young birds are distinguished by a short beak and light color.
The species is distributed along the coasts of South Australia and New Zealand, as well as on nearby islands
A small species, up to 30 cm in length, weighing about 1.5 kg. Outwardly it resembles a small penguin, from which it differs in white spots on its flippers.
Breeds exclusively on Banks Peninsula and Motunau Island (New Zealand).
Body length is from 70 to 75 cm, weight reaches 7 kg. The head is covered with feathers of golden yellow and black, the chin and throat are brown. The plumage on the back is black, on the chest - white, the legs and beak are red. The species got its name “yellow-eyed” because of the yellow stripe near the eyes.
A rare species, lives on the islands from the south South Island to the Campbell Archipelago.
Body length is about 70 cm, weight up to 6 kg. The back is black, the belly is white. There is a noticeable white ring around the eyes.
The breeding range of the species includes the coast of Antarctica and the nearest islands: South Shetland and Orkney.
Body length is from 60 to 70 cm, weight is about 4.5 kg. The back and head behind are dark gray, almost black, the belly is white. There is a thin black stripe on the neck, from ear to ear. The chicks are covered with gray down.
The distribution area of this species is the coast of Antarctica from South America.
The largest species after the emperor and king penguins. Males reach a weight of 9 kg, females - 7.5 kg, body length ranges from 75 to 90 cm. The back is black, the belly is white. The beak is orange-red or red with a black tip, the legs are orange or dark orange.
Breeds on the Falkland, South Georgia, Kerguelen, Heard, South Orkney, Prince Edward and South Sandwich Islands.
The largest representative of its kind. Its body length is 65-70 cm, weight is from 3 to 5 kg. The back is black, the belly is white. On the chest down to the paws there is a narrow black stripe in the shape of a horseshoe.
The species is distributed on the coast of South Africa and Namibia and nearby islands.
Body length is about 50 cm, weight up to 2.5 kg. The head and back are painted black, stretching from the throat up to the head and to the eyes white stripe, belly is white. The mandible and the tip of the mandible are black, the mandible and the skin around the eyes are pinkish-yellow.
The habitat of this species is unique - the Galapagos Islands, located near the equator.
Medium sized bird. The head and back are black, and there is a wide black ring on the white belly. On the sides of the head, through the forehead and throat, there are narrow white rings, the so-called “spectacles”. The beak is black with a red base, the legs are black.
The species breeds in Chile and Peru.
Body length from 70 to 80 cm, weight from 5 to 6 kg. The back is painted black, the belly is white, and there are one or two black stripes on the neck. The beak and legs are dirty gray, with a red or orange tint.
Breeds on the Patagonian coast, Tierra del Fuego, Juan Fernandez and Falkland Islands.
Penguins are not characterized by sexual dimorphism. Occasionally, males and females differ in size. They are identical in plumage color.
Penguins nest in large colonies of ten thousand pairs or more. The age of nesting depends on the specific species, and the incubation time depends on the climatic conditions of the habitat.
Penguins living near the equator hatch chicks all year round, while others can only lay two clutches a year. The main nesting period is spring – autumn.
Males arrive at the colony earlier than females and occupy a small territory of about one square meter. Then they begin to attract the attention of females and emit cries that resemble the sound of a trumpet. Penguins often recreate last year's pairings, although they are not strictly monogamous birds.
Females lay eggs, one or two, in a nest, which is made of grass and small pebbles. Penguin eggs are white or greenish.
The duration of incubation is from one to two months. Both the male and the female take part in it, and they change, since the birds do not eat the eggs during incubation.
The first few weeks after birth, one of the parents watches the babies, and the other searches for food. Then the young animals form small groups, which are looked after by adults for some time.
Then the adult birds begin to molt, and the young birds move on to independent life.
The average life expectancy of penguins is about 25 years.
Interesting facts about the bird
- The average speed that a penguin can develop in water is 5-10 km/h. The most quick way movement in penguins is called “dolphin swimming”; in this case, the bird jumps out of the water for a short time.
- During a day of hunting, a penguin swims about 27 km and spends about 80 minutes at a depth of more than 3 meters. The gentoo penguin can stay underwater for one to two minutes and dives to a depth of about 20 meters, but remains underwater for up to 18 minutes and dives to a depth of about 500 meters.
- Coming out of the water onto the shore, penguins can jump to a height of up to 1.8 m. On land they waddle, and on ice they move quickly and cheerfully - they slide down slides while lying on their stomachs.
- In Central Europe and Russia, penguins are found only in zoos.
- The largest representative of penguins is (height about 130 cm, weight up to 40 kg), and the smallest is the little penguin (height from 30 to 45 cm, weight 1-2.5 kg).
