Penguins are seabirds in the family Spheniscidae. The time one parent is alone with the eggs or chicks and going hungry may be weeks or months depending on what kind of penguin they are. (The chick feeds on regurgitated food from its mother). There are 15-20 living species (types) of penguins. Not only will these make a great classroom learning resource for teachers and homeschooling parents, but these fun penguin facts are sure to have your little ones begging for more animal activities. But Santa does like to visit. Fact 14: Penguins have very few natural predators. When she is not writing, she loves watching sci-fi movies on Netflix. Due to this endowment, most penguins can swim to depths of about 20 meters in search of food, while some have traveled as far as 30 meters! Interestingly, large groups of penguins are called ‘rookery’. The egg is kept warm by a fold of belly skin. Half of their entire life is spent under water where they take on their hunt and the remaining time on the land. Fact 4: Habitat: Smaller penguins live closer to the equator (for warmth) and eat only fish, the larger penguins live closer to the Antarctica where their bodies can withstand extremely low temperatures and windy weather. King penguin has dark grey or black plumage on the head and back, and white plumage on the belly. Penguins lay their eggs and raise their babies on land. Height: 70cm (2.3ft). Check out our awesome range of animal facts for kids and learn some fun trivia about our friends in the animal kingdom. Scientists are also uncertain whether rockhopper penguins are one, two, or three species. The word penguin is believed to be derived from the Welsh term “pen gwyn,” meaning “white head.” Penguins are flightless birds that use their wings as flippers to swim underwater. Fact 3: They have a unique bone structure: In contrast to the bones of other birds, penguin bones are solid (not hollow). Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) feeding young. Fun penguin facts for kids including photos and printable activity worksheets; suitable for Kindergarten through Grade 6. Penguin hunting lasted several centuries from their discovery, to obtain from them fat, flesh, skin, feathers and occasionally bones and fins. They cannot walk well, so they waddle. Earth Eclipse. The Macaroni penguins have a lifespan of about 12 years. WhatsApp. Fun penguin facts for kids including photos and printable activity worksheets; suitable for Kindergarten through Grade 6. Males and females are a similar size and difficult to tell apart. Fact 5: Although penguins come ashore to breed, they are true marine animals, as they spend about 80% of their lives at sea. Penguin Facts for Kids and Information. Beautiful pictures of animal in the snow makes us so excited that when we see them we can’t resist ourselves to see more and more. The gentoo penguins found further north, are on average, slightly heavier and taller than their southern counterparts. The father penguin protects the egg, while the mother penguin goes in search of food. The furthest north they get is the Galapagos Islands, where the cold Humboldt Current flows past. (And Which Foods Do They Actually Like), How Do Birds Mate? Penguins lost the ability to fly millions of years ago, but their powerful flippers and streamlined … (Albinism), Can Squirrels Eat Peanuts? The word penguin is believed to be derived from the Welsh term “pen gwyn,” meaning “white head.” Penguins are flightless birds that use their wings as flippers to swim underwater. (and Are They Good For Them), What is a Hanging Valley? Fact 12: Where did the Macaroni get its name from? The father and mother take turns keeping the eggs warm, and the chicks warm after hatching. (And Which Foods to Avoid), Can Squirrels Eat Raisins? Fact 15: Of all the penguin species, the largest is the Emperor specie. They live exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere and are noted for their distinctive black and white color and waddling when they walk. How do Rainbows Form? 30 Penguin Facts For Kids. For feeding emperor penguins usually take on krill, squid and other fishes. This helps them to remain submerged underwater for as long as they wish to. Scientific name: Pygoscelis adeliae Type of Animal: Bird Animal Family: Spheniscidae Where Found: Entire coastline of Antarctica & some nearby islands. The smallest is the Little Blue Penguin, which is only about 12-13 inches. Penguin Fact Sheet For Kids. Radius 4). A group of Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) in Antarctica. 4. Fact 19: No penguin lives in the Northern hemisphere. Select one of the levels below to download your mp3 and teacher's notes. How it is Formed and Examples of Hanging Valleys, 25+ Fascinating Rainforest Facts For Kids You Must Know, https://www.cbc.ca/kidscbc2/the-feed/5-fun-facts-about-penguins, sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/animals/penguin.html, Can Squirrels Eat Almonds? Select one of the levels below to download your mp3 and teacher's notes. Main Resources for this page: www.ewt.org.za and www.sanccob.co.za, where you will find valuable information on penguins. They eat fish and other seafood. This could be useful for them, as they are considered the most aggressive penguin specie. All penguins have a white belly and a dark (mostly black) back. Penguins lay their eggs and raise their babies on land. YAY! The name “Penguin” comes from the Welsh terms “pen” meaning head and “gwyn” meaning white. They are known for their bright red eyes and bright yellow head plumage. Fact 9: World Penguin Day: World Penguin day is celebrated worldwide on the 25th day of April every year. Penguin Facts for Kids So far as the appearance of these birds is concerned there is a clear demarcation line that separates the two colors (black and white). They are, however, expert swimmers. They have a unique bone structure: In contrast to the bones of other birds, penguin bones are solid … How about a whole CYBER WEEK! This penguin specie is able to survive the extreme coldness because of the large store of fat in its body. 7. Sometimes, it makes them look as if they were wearing a black helmet. Click to see more animals in the Active Wild Online Zoo Adélie Penguin Quick Facts For Kids. Sonia Madaan is a writer and founding editor of science education blog EarthEclipse. It has prominent dark yellow or orange-colored markings on both sides of the head, and orange-colored plumage on the upper part of the chest. Penguins live only in the Southern Hemisphere of the world: Antarctica, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and South America. They can't fly because their wings are stiff and small. Isabelline Adélie penguin on Gourdin Island. Here are a few fascinating penguin facts for kids. This was discovered when a research team noticed they were missing some key genes for taste. This is a type of camouflage to keep them safe when they swim, because it makes them blend in with their background. Like its relatives, a neatly bi-coloured species with a head marking. It is still unclear if the royal penguin is a subspecies of the macaroni penguin. This page was last modified on 6 December 2020, at 21:46. Also, a light yellow mask covers the face of the yellow-eyed penguin around the eyes. The biggest penguins may stand nearly 4 feet tall (110 cm) and can weigh almost 100 pounds (40 kg). Let’s learn with facts about ... Read morePenguin Facts for Kids Penguin facts for kids As parents, most of us would have seen our children fall in love with Pingu the penguin. 8. Some scientists split these penguins into three species (southern, northern, and eastern), while others consider them one species. Because they are mainly carnivorous, they could hamper the continuous supply of fishes and krills in the areas which they inhabit. The closest penguin specie to Macaroni specie are the Royal penguin and the Erect-crested penguin. Of the 17 species of penguins, Emperor Penguins are the tallest species, standing nearly 4 … The smallest kinds are only about one foot (32 cm) tall. (And Almond Butter), Oceanography vs Marine Biology (Are They Same or Different), Can Squirrels Eat Bread? No kids, there are no penguins at the North Pole. (And Do They Mate With Other Species). Go back to KidsWorldTravelGuide Homepage Go back to KidsWorldTravelGuide Homepage How Does Photosynthesis Take Place in Desert Plants? Although penguins are generally associated with extremely cold climates, only two species—the Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) and the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri)—live on the frozen Antarctic continent. The following are 30 interesting penguin facts for kids. Galapagos penguins are almost entirely black from the back except for few white lines that run across their white chest. Penguins cannot fly, but they can swim very well. Fact 26: The characteristic tuxedo-like appearance of the penguin is referred to as ‘countershading’. Penguins lay their eggs and raise their babies on land. Pinterest. Over millions of years, a penguin’s wings have evolved, and instead of flying they work as flippers to help them swim. Fact 30: The penguins take very good care of their eggs. In most species the birds all nest together in a huge group, called a rookery. I hope that these Emperor penguin for kids will spark some interest and make you want check out some of the other amazing penguin species! Penguins are birds with black and white feathers and a funny waddle. The way the penguin walks, flaps its flippers and appears to enjoy diving in the icy waters adds to its cuteness quotient and popularity. The fastest species is the Gentoo Penguin, which can reach swimming speeds up to 22 mph. The term ‘penguin’ is a common name used to refer to 19 species of flightless seabirds which are widely distributed in cooler waters and along coastlines in the Southern Hemisphere. The gentoo penguin is the third largest species of penguin in the world behind the king penguin and the emperor penguin, with adult gentoo penguins reaching heights of up to 80cm in the southern parts of their range. Fact 16: Penguins do not fly. 9. For feeding emperor penguins usually take on krill, squid and other fishes. The wings of a penguin are called flippers and are shaped like paddles. A penguin’s tongue is covered with spines, which help it catch and hold onto its prey. The crest on its head looks like the 18th-century hats of the same name (Macaroni). Twitter. They possess about four layers of feathers to keep them warm on the cold sub-antarctic islands where they breed! So let’s get to know some real Penguin Facts for Kids and Information that will definitely amaze you. Penguins at EnchantedLearning.com from www.enchantedlearning.com. They are at home in the ocean. Parent penguins call to find each other amongst the thousands of birds when they return from the feeding grounds. Interesting King penguin Facts: King penguin can reach 3.1 feet in height and 33 pounds of weight. Here are a few fascinating penguin facts for kids. Jan 19, 2015 - Fun Penguin Facts for Kids. This makes the Emperor penguin the only animal to inhabit the open ice on the continent during the winter season. Return from African Penguin to South Africa Facts for Kids. Picture credits: own images and Shutterstock and great penguin images by Niall Dunne, Neil Bradfield and Ecoprint. They use their wings to travel underwater, but they cannot travel in the air. They also have a layer of woolly down feathers, under the outer veined feathers that are coated with a type of oil that makes them waterproof. Fact 28: The present global warming, climate change, and oil spills hurt the penguin’s habitat. When seen on land, penguins exhibit a waddling gait due to their short, thick legs which are set far back from the body. Fact 29: Baby penguins are born when the female penguin lays 1-2 eggs on the shore (usually, one eventually hatches). Parents take turns keeping their eggs warm, and when they hatch, feeding and protecting the chicks. Gentoo penguin swimming underwater at Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium. Penguin Facts for Kids So far as the appearance of these birds is concerned there is a clear demarcation line that separates the two colors (black and white). But unlike most birds, penguins are not able to fly -- in the air that is. They have good hearing and can see underwater. Radial Carpal bone 6). They make up the scientific order Sphenisciformes and the family Spheniscidae. However, they are well adapted to water bodies where they swim and land where they spend about 20% of their lives. Incredible Rockhopper Penguin Facts! Chinstrap Penguin Facts for Kids. Southern rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) displaying its distinctive crest, Penguin tracks in the sand on Bruny Island, Tasmania. Penguins have a thick layer of blubber that helps them keep warm, and their feathers are very tightly packed to make another cover. Penguins are birds, but they cannot fly. Their diet includes squids, fishes, and krills (tiny crustaceans). There are many different species of penguins. Fact 21: Penguins are highly found in countries such as New Zealand, Chile, Australia, Argentina, and South Africa. Real quick, before we jump over to the facts about the fairy penguin for kids, take a look at the article below. Major predators of these birds are: Petrels and Antarctic skuas. King penguin. Penguins are flightless birds that make up the scientific order Sphenisciformes and the family Spheniscidae. ReddIt. These seabirds have white bellies and black backs, and they have wings and flippers that they use to swim. The white-flippered penguin is today generally considered a subspecies of the little penguin. Fact 2: Penguins are skilled swimmers: The penguin seabirds have streamlined, barrel-like bodies which reduce drag on them while they swim. Fact 24: The yellow-eyed penguin is an endangered penguin specie which is native to New Zealand. The appearance works as a camouflage, which protects the penguin birds from predators. Penguins live in the Southern hemisphere: All the 19 species of seabirds classified as ‘penguins’ inhabit the Southern Hemisphere. Seen from above, th… That’s why we’ve compiled some of the most interesting penguin facts for kids of all ages! Penguins eat only meats (That is, they are carnivores). Penguins are flightless sea birds but they are expert swimmers. In the Antarctica where this specie lives, temperatures could drop as low as -60 degree Celsius. Penguins have webbed feet used for paddling in the water. Carpometacarpus 7). Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008. Williams, Tony D. “Penguin.” Microsoft® Encarta® 2009 [DVD]. These flightless birds breed in the winter. All penguins have a white belly and a dark, mostly black, back. The birds in this category range from the small blue or fairy penguin (usually about 41 cm tall and 1kg in weight) to the largest in the group – The emperor penguin (usually about 1.1m tall and about 27 to 41 kg in weight). Fact 13: What do penguins eat? Penguins at EnchantedLearning.com from www.enchantedlearning.com. In the Antarctica where the temperature is usually very low (extremely cold), emperor penguins huddle together to stay warm in the dangerously cold winds. Fact 6: Macaroni penguin (The largest penguin specie): There are about 18 million macaroni penguins in the world. The Penguins have a unique voice or call with which they find their mates and chicks in large groups (amidst a thousand penguins or more). Galapagos penguins are one of the smallest penguins—second only to little blue penguins. Her passion for science education drove her to start EarthEclipse with the sole objective of finding and sharing fun and interesting science facts. Fact 18: Penguins can drink seawater (This is because they have a gland in their body which acts as a filter to separate the ingested salt from the water). The parent on baby duty has nothing to eat. There are 17 species of penguin, each slightly different. The name comes from the crest of yellow feathers on its head. Penguin facts for kids. The white-flippered penguin is today generally considered a subspecies of the little penguin. Fact 7: Emperor penguins are excellent breath-holders: While most penguin species can hold their breath for 2 to 3 minutes underwater, but, the large and mighty Emperor penguin can hold its breath for up to 20 minutes under water! The name “Penguin” comes from the Welsh terms “pen” meaning head and “gwyn” meaning white. Penguin Facts & Information: Penguins are birds that cannot fly. Adelie penguins are a special species of penguin. It is still unclear if the royal penguin is a subspecies of the macaroni penguin . The baby penguin is called a chick. They can dive up to 330ft in search of prey at sea. Click here for more animal facts Penguins are birds that do not fly. The chinstrap penguin (Pygoscelis antarcticus) is fairly common on the small islands of Antarctic Ocean as well as on Southern Pacific. Fact 23: The Chinstrap penguins got their name from the thick black band under their head. Fact 11: Penguins are very colorful and pleasant: Contrary to popular imagination, penguins do not only exist as the commonly expected black and white forms, but they also exist as very colorful birds of various sizes! Penguins eat krill, fish, squid, and other small animals from the ocean, which they catch. 1). Return from African Penguin to South Africa Facts for Kids. – While other birds have wings for flying, penguins have adapted flippers to help them swim in the water. © 2020 . Fact 25: The only penguin specie that ventures North of the equator in the wild is the Galapagos penguin. After the penguins mate, the mother lays her egg or eggs and soon goes in the ocean to eat. The way the penguin walks, flaps its flippers and appears to enjoy diving in the icy waters adds to its cuteness quotient and popularity. They usually make nests on the ground with rocks or mud.
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