Penguins
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Wikipedia - online encyclopedia page on
Penguins.
Penguins (order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are
an order of flightless birds living in the southern hemisphere.
Although all penguin species are native to the southern hemisphere,
they are not, contrary to popular belief, found only in cold climates,
such as Antarctica. In fact, only a few species of penguin actually
live so far south. Three species live in the tropics; one lives as
far north as the Galágos Islands (the Galágos Penguin) and will
occasionally cross the equator while feeding.
There are either 17 or 18 known species worldwide, depending on
whether the two Eudyptula species are counted as distinct.
- King Penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
- Emperor Penguin, Aptenodytes forsteri
- Gentoo Penguin, Pygoscelis papua
- Adelie Penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae
- Chinstrap Penguin, Pygoscelis antarctica
- Rockhopper Penguin, Eudyptes chrysocome
- Fiordland Penguin, Eudyptes pachyrhynchus
- Snares Penguin, Eudyptes robustus
- Royal Penguin, Eudyptes schlegeli
- Erect-crested Penguin, Eudyptes sclateri
- Macaroni Penguin, Eudyptes chrysolophus
- Yellow-eyed Penguin, Megadyptes antipodes
- Little Penguin (Blue or Fairy Penguin), Eudyptula minor
- White-Flippered Penguin, Eudyptula albosignata
- African Penguin (Jackass Penguin), Spheniscus demersus
- Magellanic Penguin, Spheniscus magellanicus
- Humboldt Penguin, Spheniscus humboldti
- Galapagos Penguin, Spheniscus mendiculus
The largest species is the Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri):
adults average about 1.1 meters (3 ft 7 in) tall and weigh 35 kilograms
(75 lb) or more. The smallest penguin species is the Little Blue Penguin
(also known as the Fairy Penguin), which stands around 40 cm tall (16 in)
and weighs 1 kilogram (2.2 lb).
Diving penguins reach 6 to 12 km/h, though there are
reports of velocities of 27 km/h.