Facts about Penguins

 Penguin Facts

Do you like penguins? Today, we are going to learn about penguins! A penguin is an aquatic flightless seabird. Did you know that penguins love to swim? Yep, they love the water! Penguins do almost everything in groups, including swimming together! Penguins are very social and intelligent creatures. A group of penguins are boisterous and chaotic when they are all together. A group of penguins swimming in the water together is called a raft. They eat, hunt, swim, and even nest together. They huddle together when it gets really cold so they can stay warm. If you ever see penguins, do not approach them. Just watch them waddle and play from a safe distance! Never approach any wild animal.

 

Have you ever seen a group of penguins?

 

Facts about penguins:

1. Even though penguins have wings, they can’t fly through the air, but they are great swimmers! Penguins fly through the water, not the air!! Penguins can swim four times faster than humans can. They can stay underwater for up to 27 minutes.

2. There are 18 different species of penguins. Here is a list of the 18 species of penguins in alphabetical order:

• Adelie Penguin
• African Penguin
• Chinstrap Penguin
• Emperor Penguin – the largest species of penguin.
• Erect-crested Penguin
• Fiordland Penguin
• Galapagos Penguin
• Gentoo Penguin – fastest penguin in the water.
• Humboldt Penguin
• King Penguin
• Little Penguin – the smallest species of penguin.
• Macaroni Penguin
• Magellanic Penguin
• Northern Rockhopper Penguin
• Royal Penguin 14
• Snares Penguin
• Southern Rockhopper Penguin
• Yellow-eyed Penguin

3. A group of penguins on land is called a waddle, tuxedo, or colony. A group of penguins in the water is called a raft!

4. Baby penguins are called chicks or nestlings. Baby penguins are grey and white in color until they reach adulthood.  Their black and white feather coloring starts coming in when they are about one year old. Adult penguins shed their feathers once a year in a process called Catastrophic molt. During the molting, the penguin’s old feathers are pushed out so new ones can grow back in.

5. Penguins are carnivores! They only eat meat. Their diet consists of fish, squid, and tiny crustaceans.

6. Penguins originate from only the Southern Hemisphere. Depending on the type of penguin, they can live in Antarctica, Australia, Argentina, Falkland Islands, Galapagos Islands, Tristan da Cunha, New Zealand, and various other places in the Southern Hemisphere!!

 

Books about penguins:

1. Penguins: Amazing Pictures & Fun Facts by Kay de Silva

2. If You Were a Penguin by Florence Minor

3. All About Penguins: by Dyan deNapoli

4. Peanut the Penguin by Aruna Lepore

Parents make sure books are child-friendly before reading them to their/children.

 

 

Thank you for reading my post!