Gentoo penguins are the most recognizable species with black bodies and white bellies. Kids will be fascinated to learn that there are actually other, albeit rare, types with different coloration and physical traits that set them apart. Curious young animal lovers will love learning about why they can't fly, their friendliness and curiosity toward humans, and why so many babies rarely reach adulthood. Continue reading for more facts about the fascinating lives of penguins.
Inside the Life and Behavior of Penguins
A trip to the zoo or aquarium is always enhanced when there is a waddle of portly birds socializing on rocks or swimming effortlessly, and topped off by a stroll through the gift shop where they can pick up a plush toy bird to bring home. They usually draw the attention with their noisy chatter, gathered together in groups seemingly in animated conversation. A body defined by big bellies and short legs with big webbed feet force make them look cartoonish in their movements on land. Yet, when they dive into a body of water, an almost magnificent transformation occurs as their awkward bodies move in a streamlined fashion. Kids will love reading stories about penguins that are packed full of information about their habitats, diets, survival skills, and more.
Anatomy of Penguins
Penguins have wings but they cannot fly.
Scientists have determined that penguins lost their ability to fly about 60 million years ago. Over time, their bodies gradually became heavier, less conducive to lifting off the ground.As birds that depend on fish for survival, the ability to swim is far more important than the need to take flight. Through evolution, their wings became more akin to flippers. The bones gradually became fused together, forming very rigid and strong structures that can propel them underwater.
The weight of penguins ranges anywhere from 2 to 90 pounds.
Emperor penguins weight the most of all species, tipping the scales from 60 to 90 pounds. Their heavy bodies are beneficial for plunging deep into the water for food. They also need the layer of extra fat to survive the harsh Antarctica temperatures. On the other hand, fairy penguins, residing off the coast of Australia and New Zealand, are the tiniest of all weighing in at just under 3 pounds. These little birds are also known for their blue coloration.
How Penguins Behave and Socialize
They are extremely social animals.
It is rare to see a penguin alone, except in rare occurrences when a hungry one takes off to dive for food by itself. Most of the time, they live among others in big groups called colonies. During breeding season, the group multiplies exponentially where hundreds of thousands gather in what is called a rookery. Their social tendencies can extend beyond their species to humans, whereby the curiosity gets the better of them. The desire to observe people far outweighs any inherent fear, likely due to lack of predators in the Antarctic.
Penguins make a lot of noise.
One of the first things kids will notice about penguins is the cacophony of sounds coming from the waddle. It may sound like a discordant collection of noises to the untrained ear, but in reality they have a highly sophisticated range of vocalizations serving distinct purposes. Different noises are made to convey happiness, warn of a threat, solicit mates, express anger, and contact colonies from distances far away.
Lifespan of Penguins
In the wild, they live for about 15 to 20 years.
Scientists have documented penguins living as old as 40 to 50 years of age, the average life expectancy is about half that time. When in captivity where they are fed a healthy diet and protected from predators, penguins stretch their lives to about 35 years. The highest mortality rate is among young chicks, with death rates ranging from 50 to 90 percent within the first year depending on the species. The cause is almost always attributed to starvation.
Penguins have many predators, but mostly in the water.
On land, the real threat is to eggs and baby chicks which often become the meals of foxes and snakes, as well as birds, rats, and ferrets. Adult penguins are most susceptible to predators in the water where they are targets of leopard seals, killer whales, sea lions, and sharks.
Diet and Digestion of Penguins
It's no surprise that penguins are carnivores.
Given the fact that they live in the Arctic where vegetation is nonexistent, it only makes sense that their diet consists of fish, squid, krill, anchovies, and pilchards. On average, the birds consume about 16 fish per day, although the quantity varies depending on the time of year. Their intake goes up during the coldest winter months when they need to build up fat to survive. They also eat quite a bit during moulting season, a period when they shed and regrow a new layer of feathers.
Penguins poop every twenty minutes.
In fact, the little blue penguin species have been documented relieving themselves 145 times a day! Between the large quantity of fish they eat and an extremely fast metabolism, their bodies are very efficient eliminators. Another weird fact is that they projectile poop, sending their excrement sailing almost five feet away.
