General Facts About Penguins


Size
There are seventeen different spieces of penguins, so the size they reach depends. Penguins range in size from the Little penguin which only gets about 16 inches (40cm) high to the Emperor penguin which can reach heights up to 3-4 feet (90-120 cm) tall.
Where are they found?
All penguins are found below the equater.
How long do they live for?
On average penguins can live for 15 to 20 years. Of course, not all live that long. In fact, many chicks do not survive their first year!

A Yellow-eyed chick

What do they eat?

An eating penguin

Penguins eat squid, octopus, fish and krill.


Predators
Since penguins are found in different habitats, predators vary. However, predators include Sharks, Killer Whales, Sea Lions and Leopard Seals.
Highlights
Adult penguins are black and white. The Little penguin has a blue tint to its feathers. Crested penguins have yellow feathers that stick up or out on the penguins head. Penguins are hatched from eggs. Depending upon the spieces, penguins lay 1 to 2 eggs at a time. Often only one chick survives.

Penguin chicks may be light to dark grey depending upon the species. When hatched they have very soft downey feathers. They keep the penguin chick warm, but are not waterproof, so the chick cannot go into the water.


Can penguins fly?
No, none of them can fly - through the air. They can, however, fly through the water. They swim by moving their flippers (wings) like other birds use their wings to fly. Some penguins can swim as fast as 8 mph. Scientists believe that the penguin (or its prehistoric relatives) never could fly, it has always been adapted as a ground bird.

A penguin swimming

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