Penguins are the most perfect seabirds that have ever lived, as beautifully designed for aquatic life as whales or seals. All penguin species share certain traits; stiff flippers instead of wings, tiny, densely packed feathers for insulation, and their unique, upright stance.
Yet there is also considerable variety among the seventeen penguin species; the following chart may help you keep them all straight, and tell you something about them. Also, just click on the English name for each bird, you will see a picture and some additional information about that species!
Common name |
Latin name |
Size |
Diet |
Estimated Population |
Status |
The Great Penguins : Aptenodytes - "Flightess Diver" |
Emperor Penguin |
Aptenodytes forsteri |
115 cm (45") |
Fish |
350,000 |
Stable |
King Penguin |
Aptenodytes patagonicus |
95 cm (37") |
Fish |
2,000,000+ |
Stable |
The Brush-tailed Penguins : Pygoscelis - "Bottom-legged" |
Adelie Penguin |
Pygoscelis adeliae |
71 cm (28") |
Krill |
5,000,000 |
Stable |
Chinstrap Penguin |
Pygoscelis antarctica |
77 cm (30") |
Krill |
13,000,000 |
Stable |
Gentoo Penguin |
Pygoscelis papua |
81 cm (32") |
Fish, Krill |
600,000 |
Stable |
The Crested Penguins : Eudyptes - "Good Diver" |
Erect-crested Penguin |
Eudyptes sclateri |
68 cm (27") |
Squid, Shrimp |
400,000 |
Vulnerable |
Fiordland Penguin |
Eudyptes pachyrhynchus |
71 cm (28") |
Squid, Fish |
2,000 |
Vulnerable |
Macaroni Penguin |
Eudyptes chrysolophus |
71 cm (28") |
Krill |
23,000,000 |
Stable |
Rockhopper Penguin |
Eudyptes chrysocome |
62 cm (24") |
Krill, Fish |
7,000,000 |
Declining |
Royal Penguin |
Eudyptes schlegeli |
76 cm (30") |
Krill, Fish |
1,750,000 |
Stable |
Snares Penguin |
Eudyptes robustus |
73 cm (29") |
Shrimp, Fish |
45,000 |
Stable |
The Yellow-Eyed Penguin : Megadyptes - "Large Diver" |
Yellow-eyed Penguin |
Megadyptes antipodes |
76 cm (30") |
Fish |
3,000 |
Threatened |
The Banded Penguins : Spheniscus - "Wedge-like" |
African Penguin |
Spheniscus demersus |
53 cm (21") |
Small fish |
< 1,000 |
Vulnerable |
Galapagos Penguin |
Spheniscus mendiculus |
70 cm (27") |
Fish |
150,000 |
Declining |
Humboldt Penguin |
Spheniscus humboldti |
70 cm (27") |
Fish |
10,000 |
Vulnerable |
Magellanic Penguin |
Spheniscus magellanicus |
76 cm (30") |
Fish |
4,000,000 |
Stable |
The Little Penguin : Eudyptula - "Little Good Diver" |
Little (or Blue) Penguin |
Eudyptula minor |
45 cm (18") |
Small fish |
1,050,000 |
Stable |
Please note that all of the images on this site are protected by copyright law and permission is required to use them in any way - on-line or off - please respect this and contact us for any usage.
|
|