THE PENGUIN ENCYCLOPEDIA

Follow your curiosity.

Explore the species, habitats, and remarkable lives of penguins, one page at a time.

23 pages
Emperor penguin Species

Emperor penguin

Aptenodytes forsteri

The largest living penguin, and a remarkable survivor of the Antarctic winter.

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King penguin Species

King penguin

Aptenodytes patagonicus

Brilliant orange markings and a regal stance make this island resident unmistakable.

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Gentoo penguin Species

Gentoo penguin

Pygoscelis papua

A bright orange bill, a white headband, and a life built around the sea.

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Adélie penguin Species

Adélie penguin

Pygoscelis adeliae

A little black-and-white explorer with a distinctive white ring around each eye.

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Chinstrap penguin Species

Chinstrap penguin

Pygoscelis antarcticus

Named for the fine black line that runs beneath its white chin.

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Little penguin Species

Little penguin

Eudyptula minor

The smallest penguins, with slate-blue feathers and a big connection to the coast.

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African penguin Species

African penguin

Spheniscus demersus

A warm-coast penguin with a spotted belly and pink patches above the eyes.

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Galápagos penguin Species

Galápagos penguin

Spheniscus mendiculus

An equatorial exception, sustained by cool ocean currents rather than snow.

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Humboldt penguin Species

Humboldt penguin

Spheniscus humboldti

A Pacific-coast specialist living beside the cold Humboldt Current.

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Magellanic penguin Species

Magellanic penguin

Spheniscus magellanicus

A striped seabird that makes long journeys along South American shores.

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Yellow-eyed penguin Species

Yellow-eyed penguin

Megadyptes antipodes

Known as hoiho, this quiet coastal bird has a pale yellow eye and headband.

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Fiordland penguin Species

Fiordland penguin

Eudyptes pachyrhynchus

A yellow-crested penguin at home on wild, forest-fringed shores.

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Snares penguin Species

Snares penguin

Eudyptes robustus

A crested island resident with a remarkably small breeding range.

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Erect-crested penguin Species

Erect-crested penguin

Eudyptes sclateri

Upright yellow crests give this remote-island penguin its name.

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Macaroni penguin Species

Macaroni penguin

Eudyptes chrysolophus

A flamboyant golden crest above a serious ocean-going seabird.

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Royal penguin Species

Royal penguin

Eudyptes schlegeli

A pale-faced, golden-crested penguin with an island kingdom of its own.

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Southern rockhopper penguin Species

Southern rockhopper penguin

Eudyptes chrysocome

A small, spiky-crested penguin that tackles rocky shores one hop at a time.

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Northern rockhopper penguin Species

Northern rockhopper penguin

Eudyptes moseleyi

Long, sweeping yellow crests frame the face of this ocean-island specialist.

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King penguins at a subantarctic island shore Habitats

Where penguins live

From Antarctic ice to tropical islands: a world beyond the snow.

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Adélie penguins at a breeding site Behavior

Life in a penguin colony

Pebble nests, familiar voices, and the art of raising a chick.

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Gentoo penguin showing its streamlined shape and flippers Anatomy

Built for the water

Why a bird that cannot fly is such an extraordinary swimmer.

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An African penguin on the coast Conservation

Protecting penguins

Healthy oceans and safe shores are part of the same story.

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A crested macaroni penguin Species

Understanding penguin families

One family, six living genera, and an evolving species list.

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