Penguins

Penguins are a family of 17 to 19 species of birds that live primarily in the Southern Hemisphere. They include the tiny blue penguins of Australia and New Zealand, the majestic emperor penguins of Antarctica, and king penguins found on many sub-Antarctic islands, the endangered African penguin, and the Galápagos penguin—the only penguin to be found north of the equator.

Though they are birds, penguins have flippers instead of wings. They cannot fly, and on land they waddle, walking upright—though when snow conditions are right, they will slide on their bellies. In the water, they are expert swimmers and divers, and some species can reach speeds of up to 15 miles per hour. The penguin’s distinctive coloring—black body with white belly—helps camouflage the bird in the water as it searches for meals of small shrimp, fish, crabs, and squid.