Penguins

What do you think of when you picture a penguin' Most likely a waddling bird in a tuxedo like coat swimming in the water of the artic. Interestingly enough some penguins actually look for a snow free environment to breed and raise a family. As most people around the world, you probably think to yourself with an aww or a sigh, perhaps relate to a movie or book you’ve seen recently involving penguins. Today I would like to inform you a little about the behavior, habitat, and types of penguins around the world. Let’s start with the types of penguins. They are many different species of penguins. According to seaword.org there are 17 different species of penguins, divided into various groups. There are large, brush tailed, crested, large diver and little penguins. Let me tell you a little more about these types of penguins. The Emperor and King penguins are the most known penguins. They stand at about 35-45 inches and weigh 60-90 pounds. The emperor penguin has a black head, chin, and throat, with broad yellow patches on each side of the head. The king penguin has a black head, chin, and throat, with vivid orange, tear-shaped patches on each side of the head. The orange coloration extends to the upper chest. In the movie Happy Feet, these are the types of penguins you see. Within the brush tailed family, you see the adelie and Gentoo penguins. They stand at 18-35 inches and weigh 8-15 pounds. Think of Mr. Poppers Penguins. The Adélie has a black head. Distinctive white eye rings appear during the breeding season. The gentoo has a black head with white eyelids, and a distinct triangular white patch above each eye, usually extending over the head. In the crested family, you have the rockhopper and macaroni penguin. They are 18-28’ tall and 9-13 pounds. They are distinguished by orange or yellow feather crests on the sides of the head, above the eyes. The yellow-eyed penguin is the only penguin in the large diver family at 21’ tall and weighing 13 pounds. The yellow-eyed penguin, as its name suggests, has yellow eyes and a stripe of pale yellow feathers extending over its dark head. The little blue penguin, of course, falls into the little penguin group. It stands at 10-12’ and is only 2-3 pounds. They have slate-blue to black feather and a white chin and chest. Now that I have given you a very brief description of the different types of penguins, I am going to talk a little bit about their habitat. A common misconception about penguins is that they have to live in ice cold environments to survive. While some penguins can be found living in these cold climates, some do live in warmer climates. For example the Galapagos penguins live year-round in the Galapagos Islands, which is right on the equator. The habitat of a penguin can range but one thing remains the same, they need to live by a body of water. Penguins spend about 75% of their lives in water and it is their primary way of hunting for food. Penguins generally live on islands and remote continental regions free from land predators, where their inability to fly is not detrimental to their survival Penguins are known for migrating. Some go long distances and same stay closer; baby penguins often wonder off on their own. Penguins will often use rocks and sticks to build nests in which they lay eggs and care for their young. Now that we know where they live, let me tell you a little bit about their behavior. Penguins love to be in groups, usually ranging from 5-25 penguins. During breeding season, it is not uncommon to find groups of hundreds of penguins covering hundreds of miles. This is called rookeries. Penguins communicate though calls, called displays. They are individually identifiable, allowing mates to recognize each other and also their baby. This is important because members of a large group of penguins are nearly indistinguishable by sight. Penguins eat krill, squids, and fishes. Various species of penguins have slightly different food preferences, which reduce competition among species. Penguins primarily rely on their vision while hunting. Penguins catch prey with their bills and swallow it whole while swimming. A penguin has a spiny tongue and powerful jaws to grip slippery prey. In conclusion, you have learned about the different types of penguins, where they live and how they live. I hope you now know a little more about these adorable creatures. I hope next time you see a penguin, whether it be a zoo, book, movie, tv or even a magazine, you will think kindly of them and know a little more about them. Are there any questions'