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Although they are spread across the southern half of the globe, far-flung penguins have much in common. All species share torpedo-shaped bodies that sport the same basic color scheme of dark backs and white bellies. This outfit makes for perfect camouflage in the sea both from above and below. Instead of broad, long wings and tails suitable for flight, penguins have stiff paddle-like flippers, stubby tails, and broad feet that allow them to "fly" underwater. Similarly, penguins have lost the light, hollow bones that help flying birds stay aloft; instead, they have heavy, solid bones that are an advantage for a bird that often must dive deep to find the fish, squid, and shrimp they usually eat. Sadly, many penguins are also beginning to have something else in common: their survival is endangered by a wide range of threats, from habitat destruction to changes in the global climate.
Some penguins sport distinctive crests. |
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While similar, each species also displays its own variation on the basic penguin theme. The pattern and color of head feathers, for instance, varies greatly from bird to bird. Antarctica's Emperor and King penguins complement their feathery tuxedos with dramatic bright orange patches on their heads and bills. Six other species -- the Rockhopper, Erect-crested, Fiordland, Snares, Macaroni, and Royal penguins -- sport elaborate yellow crests and plumes that give them a festive look. One species, Australia and New Zealand's Little Penguin, has even traded the traditional penguin black-tie look for a lustrous blue-gray coat -- hence its nickname, "Little Blue."
The Little Blue's name is fitting in another respect: it is the world's smallest penguin, measuring just 18 inches tall and weighing a little over two pounds. In contrast, Emperor Penguins -- the world's largest species -- can reach almost four feet and 90 pounds, the size of a young child.
No matter their size, people often think of penguins as the awkward, waddling buffoons of the bird world. That is largely because most photographs and films of penguins are taken on land, where the birds are easy to find as they congregate to breed and wait for feathers to drop out and regrow. However, most penguins actually spend only a small part of their lives on land. The majority of the time -- for some species, up to 80 percent of it -- penguins are at home in the ocean, feeding or simply resting at the surface. And once at sea, penguins are far from clumsy. Indeed, they are the avian equivalent of attack submarines: sleek, deadly predators designed for speed, deep diving, and the survival of harsh conditions.
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Flightless Wonders
Meet these aquatic birds.
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Deep Divers
Birds clumsy on land, graceful underwater.
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Protecting Penguins
Learn the threats to penguins.
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Resources
Web sites and books related to the program.
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