Facts About Penguins

 Penguins

  • are birds, not fish.
  • swim like fish, but do not fly like birds.
  • use their wings like flippers to swim.
  • trek across land with an action know as “waddling”.
  • can slide along the snow on their bellies to conserve energy and allow for faster movement than waddling.
  • can put both feet together to jump for quicker movement and for crossing steeper or rocky land areas.
  • use their tail and wings to balance themselves upright.
  • mostly eat fish, squid or krill.
  • spend about 50% of their lives in the ocean and the other 50% on land.
  • have black wings and backs with white fronts which is used to camouflange them from predators.
  • have insulating feathers to keep them warm.
  • keep warm in extreme weather by huddling together.  They take turns moving toward the inside of the huddle since this is the warmest section of the huddle.
  • are not just found in cold climates, but some penguin species are found in warm or hot climates.