Animals & Science

Penguins are a type of flightless marine birds. There are seventeen species of penguins. All penguin species live somewhere in the Southern Hemisphere. Penguins live on every continent in the...

What birds eat varies with the species of birds and where they live. There are approximately 10,000 different species of birds with habitats all over the globe.

Rockhopper penguins are small, aggressive penguins with feathered yellow plumes and distinctive red eyes. There are three subspecies of rockhopper penguins---southern, northern and eastern---that...

Adelie penguins breed and raise their young farther south than any other Antarctic penguins. They are the smallest of the penguins there, as well, weighing under 10 lbs. and measuring about 28...

Global warming is an increase in the Earth's average temperature. Humans have contributed to global warming through the burning of fossil fuels, clearing land and other activities. Global warming...

The African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is found exclusively off the shores of Africa, where it breeds in colonies. This noisy penguin--it is sometimes called the jackass penguin due to its...

There are sixteen different species of penguins. One is the Emperor Penguin. Emperor Penguins are the only penguins that breed during the winter. These penguins are easy to identify as shown below.

Penguins need to undergo respiration, or an exchange of gases, to take in oxygen and expel carbon dioxide. As seabirds, penguins spend some of their lives on land and some of their lives in the...

Penguins have to beware of several different kinds of predators. These include mammals: rats, cats, dogs and ferrets. There are also bird predators: skuas and giant petrals. There are also marine...

They use their feathers. Not only can feathers keep a penguin warm, they can also keep one cool. This is because, unlike fur, they can be puffed out for ventilation. With their feathers puffed up,...

Since most penguins live far away from humans, they don't need to protect themselves from people. Their main predators are the leopard seal, killer whale, and seabirds such as the Skua. Luckily,...

As the name suggests, the yellow-eyed penguin gets its name from the yellow band running from the penguin's eyes to the back of its head. These penguins are very rare and because the population...

Everybody loves penguins, the subjects of the films "Happy Feet" and countless other stories and cartoons. Probably the combination of a penguin's wobbly walk and their black and white...

Penguins are found all along the western and eastern coasts of South America. Chile is home to many of these penguins, with four types of penguins using its coastline as breeding grounds....

As global warming intensifies, ice shelves continue to melt at a neck-breaking pace, obliterating the habitat and food supply of penguins throughout the Southern Hemisphere. Some populations have...

Unlike humans, penguins never really fall asleep. Because they are often prey for predators such as leopard seals and Galapagos sharks, they have to constantly remain alert and on guard....

Penguins are most comfortable and most graceful when moving in the water, either by swimming or diving. However, sometimes they need to travel by land to find a nesting area, their colony members...

Penguins have several adaptions that keep them warm in the frozen tundra of the Antarctica. Penguins have a torpedo-shaped body with a large amount of fat below the skin. These birds also have a...

It is possible to learn many different things about winter survival from a penguin colony. One of the most interesting things to watch about penguins is how they raise their young. It has amazed...

Most species of penguins swim together, in either small or large groups, when looking for food. Some penguins spend almost 3/4 of their lives on the water. Some species of penguins, like the...

Penguins communicate by many forms. However, many varieties of penguins use individualized vocal calls or vocalization from a young age. Penguins normally do not use these vocalizations or calls...

Recognized as the smallest penguin species in the world, the Little Blue Fairy Penguin is also the most commonly found penguin in New Zealand. With their striking blue feathers and chatty social...

Penguins are some of the most interesting birds and, while there are many different varieties of penguins, most eat the same things and about 2 pounds of food a day. Considering a penguin' s size...

Tropical penguins are aquatic, flightless birds found in South Africa, Galapagos Island, Argentina, southern Chile, Peru and the Falkland Islands. There are four primary species of tropical...

Magellanic penguins are medium-sized penguins that live on South American coasts and the Falkland Islands. They return to specific nesting colonies every year to breed, and mate with the same...

Penguins need to dive under water in order catch their food in the ocean. However, penguins need oxygen to breathe under water. For most species of penguins, the average underwater dive lasts 6...

Macaroni penguins were named by British explorers in the eighteenth century because of their bright yellow feathers, which reminded them of Maccaronism, a style of dress with lots of flamboyance....

Penguins are becoming quite popular. The animals have starred in a number of movies, and those at local zoos don't seem to be afraid of visitors. There is still some mystery about the penguin, and...

The penguin is one of the oldest surviving birds on earth. Some believe that the penguin has been around for 50 million years. Many penguin species are now extinct. However, conservation...