Penguin Pals - Information about Penguins

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Penguin Information
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Physical Characteristics of Penguins
The comical gait and head movements of penguins make them a favorite of people everywhere. Penguins are warm-blooded, flightless birds. They have little or no sense of smell and their sense of taste is also limited. Scientists suspect they may be nearsighted on land, but better when they are underwater. They are able to endure extremely cold temperatures because their short, densely-packed, overlapping feathers (up to 70 per sq. in.) forms a waterproof coat that provides excellent insulation and create a layer of air underneath the feathers. They coat their feathers with oil from a gland near the tail to increase impermeability to water. They also store energy in a thick layer of fat or blubber.

They can not fly like most birds, they are very adept at swimming. This is due to their torpedo-shaped bodies and stiff paddle-like flippers. They use their webbed feet in combination with their stubby tails and back like a rudder to steer underwater. The penguin's bones are solid and heavy, which helps them to remain submerged. They can often be seen leaping out of the sea like dolphins.

They also have a remarkable deep-diving ability. Penguins normally swim at 5 mph, but some species can achieve short bursts of 7 mph. These quick speeds along with leaping out of the water every few feet helps them to breathe and decreases their chances of being eaten by predators. In addition, their black and white countershading makes them nearly invisible to predators from above and below.

Behavior of Penguins
Penguins are highly social birds. They live and breed in large colonies called rookeries, which may contain thousands of individuals. Even at sea, they tend to swim and feed in groups of several dozen. Curiously, the warmer the water is, the smaller the group since schools of fish in colder water tend to be larger. Since they have no enemies on land, they are quite curious about humans. Although penguins are adept swimmers, they are often awkward on land. They waddle, hop over rocks, and sometimes push themselves along on their stomachs in the snow. Penguins "talk" to each other by complex ritual behaviors like head and flipper waving, calling, bowing, gesturing and preening. Aggressive postures like stares, pointing, and charging can be displayed in disputes over territory. Sometimes during courtship, the male pumps his chest several times and, with his head stretched upwards and flippers akimbo, emits a harsh loud braying sound. This can cause the other males to trumpet in chorus.

King Penguin Beak

Eating Habits of Penguins
The shape of a penguin's beak determines the kind of prey it hunts. Penguins eat fish, krill, and squid. Sea leopards and killer whales are dangerous enemies of penguins. Skuas and southern giant petrels will also attack chicks and sick or injured adults.

Rockhopper Penguin Tongue

The tongue and palate of all penguins are covered with stiff spines that create a one-way trap. These spines improve the grip on slippery food and help it move inside the mouth but not out again. When penguins swallow prey underwater, they also swallow some saltwater so they have specialized glands that drain into the penguin's nose. As a result, drops of saltwater run off the tip of its beak when it first returns from the sea.