A penguin’s awkward waddle may seem comical on land but that’s because they are made to swim. Some penguins, like the fiordland and rockhopper, have even been found with barnacles growing on their feathers! Much of what seems odd about penguins is due to the fact that they spend so much time in the water. Penguins are birds of the ocean, spending up to 75 percent of their lives in the water. Each penguin species is uniquely adapted to its home environment.Īnatomy, Diversity & Evolution Anatomy Extreme Swimmers and Divers The yellow-eyed penguins of Enderby Island off New Zealand burrow under the trees of the dwarf rata forests. The Humboldt penguin of Chile and Peru lives on the shores of the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world where temperatures can reach around 70☏ (21☌). In fact, penguins inhabit a very diverse array of environments. Although the various species of penguins look similar, the largest penguin, the emperor, stands at 4 foot, 5 inches (1.35 meters) and the smallest penguin, the fairy or little, stands at about a foot tall (.33 meters).Ĭontrary to popular belief, only five penguin species ever set foot on the icy Antarctic continent and only two, the Adélie and emperor, live there exclusively. Clumsy and comical on land, they become beautifully graceful swimmers below the ocean’s waves.
Tuxedoed birds with endearing personalities, penguins are fascinating to young and old alike.
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