Penguins
Penguins are a strange type of bird. They are very different than most birds because they do not fly. Penguins swim. They are birds of the water.
Penguins are great at living in the ocean. Instead of wings, penguins have flippers. They use these flippers to push themselves through the water. Their feet are webbed like a duck’s and they use them to kick and steer.
In order to be light enough to fly, most birds have hollow bones. The bones of a penguin are solid. This makes it easier for them to dive deep into the water.
Penguins have dark backs and white bellies. This is a form of camouflage. Camouflage helps animals hide. Penguin camouflage is called countershading.
Countershading is very useful in the ocean. It provides cover from predators above and below. From above, penguins will blend in with the dark depths of the ocean. From below, penguins will blend in with the light sky.
The thick feathers of a penguin are built for cold waters. They are very closely spaced and are also waterproof. Underneath is a layer of soft down feathers. This keeps a warm layer of air near the skin.
Penguins form long-lasting families. They mate with the same partner each year. Each has a unique mating song. Penguins use this to identify each other. Once the female lays the egg, both the male and female help raise their young.
Penguins waterproof their feathers by coating them with oil. Penguins have a gland that lets out oil near their tail. By touching their beak to the gland they can spread the oil to their other feathers.
Penguins need healthy feathers to survive. When Penguins take care of their feathers it is called preening. They use their beaks to clean their feathers and keep them healthy.
While penguins are molting, they are unable to hunt. Their soft down feathers are exposed and these are not waterproof. Because of this, penguins eat a lot before they molt.
Penguin’s feathers go through a large amount of wear and tear. To prevent them from wearing out, most penguins molt once a year. The old feathers fall out as new feathers grow to replace them.
When they are young, the thicker outer layer of feathers has not grown in yet. This means their parents have to provide food for them. They do this by regurgitating their food. The parent hunts and catches food. They then throw it back up into the chick’s beak.
Penguins eat seafood. They hunt squid, shellfish, and other fish. Being good swimmers helps them hunt and have food to eat.
The tallest of them is the emperor penguin in Antarctica. Female emperor penguins lay one egg at a time. After the female penguin lays the egg, she passes it over to the male penguin to hatch. She must pass the egg very carefully. It’s important not to let the egg be in the cold for too long or it will freeze.
There are 18 different kinds of penguins. They are different in size and color. They live all over the southern half of the world. This is called the southern hemisphere.
Penguins lay eggs like other birds, but not all penguins make a nest. Instead, the male emperor penguin carries it between his feet. He protects it from the cold with a flap of belly skin.
Not all penguins live in the snow. African penguins are the only penguins from Africa. They build nests under bushes and rocks to avoid the hot sun.
Little penguins are the smallest penguins. They are known by many names. They can be called blue penguins or fairy penguins.
Erect-crested penguins only come to shore to breed and raise their chick. The females lay two eggs. The second egg is often two times bigger than the first one. The bigger one is more likely to reach adulthood.
Chinstrap Penguins have a thin black line that wraps around their chins. They are known as the most aggressive type of penguin.
Penguins in warmer climates cool off in many ways. Their feathers can be used to keep them cool as well as warm. By puffing their feathers up, it allows cooler air to reach their skin. They also pant. Panting causes the throat and mouth to cool down. Holding out their flippers to the air also releases heat.
Penguins Penguins are an endangered species. This means that they are at risk of disappearing. Review Questions! ? 1. How are penguins different from other Pollution, climate change, and taking too many fish make it hard for penguins to survive. birds? How are they the same? We should be careful to help all 18 types of 2. What do emperor penguins do instead of penguins survive in the future. building a nest? 3. What are some names for the smallest penguins? 4. Why do penguins need to be great swimmers?
Penguins Art Project! Draw a penguin swimming. Think about the body parts that help it swim and make sure to show them in your picture. Remember the special coloring too; your penguin needs to be safe from predators!
