Animals / Penguins

Penguins Facts

Random facts about penguins and their icy habitats.

A group of penguins in water is called a "raft," while a group on land is called a "waddle."

All Penguins Facts

Emperor penguins can dive deeper than any other bird, reaching depths of over 500 meters.
Penguins can't fly, but they "fly" through water: some species swim as fast as 22 mph.
A group of penguins in water is called a "raft," while a group on land is called a "waddle."
Emperor penguin fathers incubate their single egg on their feet for about two months through the Antarctic winter, without eating.
Penguins have a gland behind their eyes that filters excess salt from the seawater they drink.
Most penguin species live in the Southern Hemisphere, but the Galápagos penguin lives near the equator.
Penguins have countershaded plumage (black backs and white bellies) that helps camouflage them from predators both above and below.
Some penguin couples propose to each other with a pebble as a symbolic gift.
Penguins' wings evolved into flippers, trading flight for powerful underwater swimming.
A penguin's tuxedo-like coloring is a form of camouflage called countershading, not decoration.
Chinstrap penguins get their name from the thin black band under their heads that looks like a helmet strap.
Penguins molt all their feathers at once each year, leaving them unable to swim or feed until regrowth is complete.
The smallest penguin species, the little penguin, stands only about 13 inches tall.
Penguins can leap up to 6 feet out of the water to land on ice, a behavior called "porpoising" when done at speed.
Antarctica is home to the largest colonies of penguins, but not all penguin species live there.