Even though most people think of Antarctica when they think of penguins, actually only two species live on the Antarctic continent (the Adelie and the Emperor). The other species range in habitat from the islands near the Antarctic circle, to the shores of South America, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the Galapagos Islands. Some species of penguins live 75% of their lives at sea, coming to shore only to breed and molt. Migratory penguins will spend 3-5 months at sea, before coming to shore. Although they do rest on ice floes. Very few details are known about the penguin's life in the sea.

Penguins are widely distributed in the cooler waters of the southern oceans. Largest concentrations and greatest numbers of species occur in cold temperate, subpolar and polar waters. Nearly every Antarctic and Subantarctic island has more than one resident penguin species, and large breeding concentrations are found at certain places along the coasts of Antarctic Peninsula and Antarctic continent. Penguins also breed on mainland coasts and island off of southern Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa, in Patagonia and the Magellanes region, and along the coast of Chile and Peru.