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Chinstrap penguin. Penguins are birds in the family Spheniscidae in the monotypic order Sphenisciformes. [1] They inhabit high-productivity marine habitats, almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere; the only species to occur north of the Equator is the Galapagos penguin.
The smallest penguin species is the little blue penguin (Eudyptula minor), also known as the fairy penguin, which stands around 30–33 cm (12–13 in) tall and weighs 1.2–1.3 kg (2.6–2.9 lb). [7] Today, larger penguins generally inhabit colder regions, and smaller penguins inhabit regions with temperate or tropical climates.
Sphenisciformes (from the Latin for "wedge-shaped") is the taxonomic order to which the penguins belong. BirdLife International has assessed 18 species. 16 (89% of total species) have had their population estimated: those missing are the king and little penguins, both of which have been assessed as being of least concern. [1] [2]
The emperor penguin is the largest species of penguin in the world and also one of the most unique. Instead of breeding in the warmer summer months like other penguin species, emperor penguins lay ...
Penguins (order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are an order of flightless birds living in the southern hemisphere. They are not, contrary to popular belief, only found in cold climates, such as Antarctica. Some species live as far north as the Galapagos Islands and will occasionally cross the equator while feeding.
The emperor penguin breeds in the coldest environment of any bird species; air temperatures may reach −40 °C (−40 °F), and wind speeds may reach 144 km/h (89 mph). Water temperature is a frigid −1.8 °C (28.8 °F), which is much lower than the emperor penguin's average body temperature of 39 °C (102 °F).
The average Galápagos penguin is 48–50 centimetres (19–20 in) tall and weighs around 2–4 kilograms (4.4–8.8 lb). [7] It is the second-smallest species of penguin, after the little penguin.
The king penguin feeds its chicks by eating fish, digesting it slightly, and regurgitating the food into the chick's mouth. Because of their large size, king penguin chicks take 14–16 months before they are ready to go to sea. This is markedly different from smaller penguins, who rear their chicks through a single summer when food is plentiful.