Penguins

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k04PL-aDlsA

Seabirds Penguins are the most aquatic of all seabirds Around 17 species of penguins All live in the southern hemisphere except one. Galapagos penguin Vary in heights Largest Emperor penguin Do not fly, wings of the penguin function as a flipper. 24km per hr = 14.9 miles per hr They have dense bones which allows them to dive.

Emperor Penguin Galapagos Penguin

Humboldt penguins African Penguins

Chinstrap penguins King penguins

Adelie penguins Rockhopper penguins

Gentoo penguins Macaroni penguins

Royal penguins Little blue penguins

Yellow-eyed penguins Snares penguins

Food Krill, fish, shellfish and squid. In general, penguins closer to the equator eat more fish and penguins closer to Antarctica eat more squid and krill.

Nesting Some penguins can go to sea for 2 years before returning to land or ice to nest. Unlike other birds both males and females penguins share the duties of warming the eggs and feeding the chicks after they hatch.

Adaptations Penguins can survive the cold air and waters of the Antarctic because they have a thick layer of fat under their skin and densely packed soft down feathers for insulation. They are endothermic (warm-blooded). They can generate their own body heat, an ability that enables them to live in very cold climates.

Group huddle Some penguin colonies gather thousands of penguins and while they seem disorganized and wrapped up in chaos, they are not. Each Penguin knows its role in the colony and act based on their gender and sexual maturity and these colonies are survival mechanisms that help them reduce their vulnerabilities against predators.

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfstYSUscBc

Numbers The penguin species with the highest population is the Macaroni penguin with 11,654,000 pairs. The species with the lowest population is the endangered Galapagos penguin with between 6,000-15,000 individuals.

Where in the world Penguins can be found on every continent in the Southern Hemisphere from the tropical Galapagos Islands (the Galapagos penguin) located near South America to Antarctica (the emperor penguin).

Fun Fact The emperor penguin breeds in the coldest environment of any bird species; air temperatures may reach -40° (F), and wind speeds may reach 89 miles per hour (144 km/hr)!

Talk like a Penguin Penguins are noisy and communicative birds that use different vocalizations for each situation, but that is not all; Their body movements and eye contact are also common ways of expression. Specialized structures in their throat emit these vocalization sounds that sound like squawking or a high-pitch sound.

Different sounds Penguins have different sounds according to the situation. An important thing to know is that each penguin produces a unique sound easily identifiable by other penguins; therefore, a mother or father can easily find their chicks by recognizing the sounds they make. Chicks, in the same way, can identify their parents by hearing their calls.

Scientists have recognized at least three types of calls. The first, contact vocalizations, is used to distinguish other members of the colony. The second, threat vocalization, is used to defend their territory and warn the other penguins in the colony about the proximity of a predator. The third is used to transmit sexual, territorial or individual recognition information. This last call is the most complex

Can you see me? Penguins use body movements to send and receive messages. They tend to communicate through a combination of vocal and visual signals. Movement of head, neck or wings accompanies each vocalization. Many species “flap” their flippers, wave their beaks or bend their necks down or sideways. For example, during the courtship process both penguins bow, which decreases the tension between them and reduces the risk of aggression

Life in the water Penguins can spend up to 75% of their lives in the water. They do all of their hunting in the water. Their prey can be found within 60 feet of the surface, so penguins have no need to swim in deep water. They catch prey in their beaks and swallow them whole as they swim. Some species only leave the water for molting and breeding.

Even more penguins Mating Season: Varies depending on the species, though most breed during spring and summer. Incubation: Varies from 1 month-66 days depending on the species. Number of offspring: King and emperor penguins lay one egg. All other species of penguin lay two eggs.

Fun Fact Size: The blue penguin, also known as the fairy penguin, is the smallest of the penguin species at 16 inches tall (.41m). It weighs about 2.2 (1 kg) pounds. The largest penguin species is the emperor penguin, which is about 3.7 feet (1.1m) tall and weighs between 60 and 90 pounds (27-41 kg). Lifespan: 15 to 20 years depending on the species.

Global warming Penguins are threatened by climate change. Penguin populations have decreased by nearly 80 percent in some areas, and the majority of scientists agree that rising temperature due to climate change is the primary culprit. In Antarctica, home to the famous emperor penguin, the annual sea ice melting season has extended by as much as 3 weeks in recent decades. Less ice means less habitat for penguins and the loss of critical food, such as shrimp-like krill, which depend on polar ice to reproduce. The penguin that is currently most threatened by climate change is the African penguin. Most African penguins live on islands off the coast of Africa and feed on a rich supply of anchovies and sardines that follow a nearby current of cold water. As the oceans heat up, this stream is moving further away from their island home. These penguins will only swim up to 25 miles away from their homes, so if the current moves much further they will not be able to reach their food source. In addition to global warming and natural predation by sharks, orcas, leopard seals, sea lions and fur seals, other threats to penguins include impacts on habitat due to oil spills, pesticides, construction, destruction of habitat due to introduced herbivores, competition with humans for food and illegal egg harvesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7M686pXr6M

http://mentalfloss.com/article/56416/20-fun-facts-about-penguins-world-penguin-day