When you think of a penguin do you envision the Emperor Penguins featured in such movies as “March of the Penguins” or “Happy Feet”? Most people do. The fact is there are anywhere from 17 to 20 species of penguin, depending on which authority you consult. These flightless birds are interesting and diverse creatures.

Facts About Penguins

The majority of penguins are native to Antarctica and almost exclusively live in cold regions of the southern hemisphere. But not all penguins live in cold climes; in fact the Galapagos Penguin is found very close to the equator.

Penguins don’t resemble other birds. This is because they evolved and adapted to aquatic life. Instead of wings to fly, these birds have short flippers to make moving through the water easy. Half of the time they live on the land and the other half is spent in the water. Because they are aquatic birds, penguins subsist on a diet of fish, squid, krill, and other animals they find in the sea.

Species of Penguins

The Emperor Penguin is the one most celebrated the world over, and it is also the largest species of penguin. It weighs in at 35 kg and stands just over a meter tall.

On the other end of the scale is the Little Blue Penguin, the smallest species. Also referred to as a Fairy Penguin, this one is only 40 cm tall and weighs about 1 kg.

A general rule of thumb is that the colder the habitat, the larger the penguin, although this was not necessarily the case in prehistoric times when some penguins in temperate climates nearly reached the size of an adult human.

All penguins are birds belonging to the family classification Spheniscinae. Most scientists recognise 17 species but some consider the White-flippered Penguin its own separate species instead of a subspecies of the Little Penguin. The same holds true for the Royal Penguin and Rockhopper Penguin.

The following is the most comprehensive listing of penguin species:

• Great penguins
  • King Penguin
  • Emperor Penguin
• Brush-tailed Penguins
  • Adelie Penguin
  • Chinstrap Penguin
  • Gentoo Penguin
• Little Penguins
  • Little Blue Penguin
  • Northern Little Penguin
• Banded Penguins
  • Magellanic Penguin
  • Humbolt Penguin
  • Galapagos Penguin
  • African Penguin
• Megadyptes
  • Yellow-eyed Penguin
• Crested Penguins
  • Fiordland Penguin
  • Snares Penguin
  • Erect-crested Penguin
  • Western Rockhopper Penguin
  • Eastern Rockhopper Penguin
  • Northern Rockhopper Penguin
  • Royal Penguin
  • Macaroni Penguin

Two others, the Waitaha and Chatham Islands Penguins are now extinct.

Not all penguins are like the iconic Emperor Penguin in looks and size. There are a great variety of these lovable birds worldwide.

Find out how global warming is threatening penguins.