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Fascinating Facts About Penguins: The Unique Birds of the Southern Hemisphere

Dive into the amazing world of penguins, the only flightless birds of the Spheniscidae family. With 18 species thriving predominantly in the Southern Hemisphere, these aquatic birds have adapted remarkably to their environment, relying on countershading for camouflage and spending up to 75% of their lives in water. Learn about their diets, breeding habits, and the environmental threats they face, including the endangered Galapagos Penguin. Discover their unique calls, tailormade flippers, and the fascinating behaviors that make penguins one of nature's most captivating creatures.

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Fascinating Facts About Penguins: The Unique Birds of the Southern Hemisphere

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  1. Penguins: The Odd Bird Out 5th Grade

  2. Penguins! • Class – Aves • Family –Spheniscidae • Penguins are the only animals in the Spheniscidae family • Species – 18

  3. Location • Live in the Southern Hemisphere • Abundant on temperate and sub-antarctic islands • Live in areas where their inability to fly is not detrimental to their survival (not many land predators)

  4. Characteristics: • Aquatic, flightless birds • Highly adapted to life in the water • Countershading: a form of camouflage that helps keep them safe in the water (they look like they are wearing a tuxedo)

  5. Size: • Emperor Penguin = largest • 3.7 feet tall, 60-90 pounds • Fairy (Little Blue) Penguin = smallest • 16 inches tall, 2.2 pounds

  6. Population • Species with the highest population is the Macaroni Penguin (23,308,000) • Species with the lowest population is the endangered Galapagos Penguin with only between 6,000-15,000 left

  7. Macaroni Penguin

  8. Galapagos Penguin

  9. Behavior • Can spend up to 75% of their lives in the water • Do all of their hunting in the water • Catch prey in their beaks and swallow it whole • Some only leave water for molting and breeding

  10. Diet • Krill • Squid • Fishes

  11. Hunting and Collecting Food • Feed at sea • Find food within 50-60 feet from the surface, so they do not need to dive very deep • Rely on their vision while hunting

  12. Fasting • During breeding season, penguins fast • Fun Fact: Male emperor penguins may fast 90 – 120 days during courtship, breeding, and incubation of the eggs

  13. Reproduction • Each penguin has a distinct call, allowing individual penguins to find their mate and their chicks in large groups • Most breed during spring and summer • King and Emperor penguins lay only one egg –all other species lay two eggs • Eggs take between 1 month and 66 days to develop and hatch, depending on the species

  14. Flippers and Feathers • Instead of wings, penguins have paddle-like flippers • Each flipper is covered with short, scale-like feathers • Flippers used to propel Penguins through water

  15. Flippers and Feathers

  16. Why are the feathers still there?

  17. Why are the feathers still there? • Feathers help keep water away from the skin • Penguin feathers are highly specialized: short, broad, closely spaced

  18. Penguins lose their feathers once per year, a process called MOLTING

  19. Movement • Swim quickly because if their flippers and webbed feet • Walk slowly using short steps or hops • When traveling on ice, Antarctic penguins often use toboggan on their bellies –use flippers and feet to slide their bodies forward along the ice

  20. Toboggan • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCMdD6rgwkk

  21. Emperor Penguin Migration • Begin migration rituals each March, traveling up to 100 miles to reach an appropriate nesting ground • Female lays an egg, and males take care of the eggs for up to four months

  22. Males Incubate Egg

  23. Emperor Penguin Males Incubate Eggs –covers it with a feathered fold of abdominal skin

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