Are Penguins Birds? : Here’s the answer

Are penguin birds? The direct and simple answer would be yes, indeed penguins are birds.

However, some people might judge them by their flying ability. Penguins with their characteristic, plumage, and several features like birds are categorized themselves in a list of birds.

This article will try to explore the idea of what makes penguins a bird along with 15 different species of penguins and common misconceptions about penguins. So let’s explore the unique world of penguins.

What Makes Penguins a Bird

Some people believe that they are fish but they are birds because of their certain characteristics which are similar features of birds. 

Feathers

Penguins have feathers or plumage. They have more feathers than any other bird, such as 100 feathers per square inch. Their feathers keep them warm in the coldest area of Iceland.

Their feathers help them to balance their body temperature and adjust to the environment. Their feathers molt during their breeding seasons. Old feathers shed and new features grow on their bodies while maintaining their body temperature. 

Beak

Penguins have beaks just like other birds. Their beaks are in various sizes depending on their sizes and species. Their beaks are long, thin, and slightly pointed down. With their beak, they target their prey and hunt them for food. Their main food is krill and fish to eat. 

Eggs

Penguins lay eggs like other species of avian birds. Emperor penguins lay one egg at a time besides other penguin species lay one to two eggs during their breeding seasons.

While laying two eggs there is a gap of 24hr to 48hr of that laying process. After laying their eggs both parents collaboratively help to hatch the eggs and raise the child together. 

Wings

Penguins also have wings just like other birds. But their wings are not specialized for flying but for swimming. They are amazing swimmers.

They can swim underwater up to 15-25 miles per hour.  Their wings are specially designed for flapping with that flapper they can easily control their speed underwater.

What is a penguin: A closer look

Penguins are known for flightless birds with amazing underwater swimming abilities rather than flying abilities.

Their black and white plumage, flapper wings, and long curved beaks make them more fascinating birds than other birds. They are also known for their survival tactics and hacks of the coldest places on earth.  

15 different species of penguins

Here we have discussed 15 different species of penguins along with their characteristics, scientific names, size, and shape in order to feature them as birds. 

1. Emperor penguin

The Emperor penguin’s scientific name is Aptenodytes forsteri. They are the tallest and heaviest penguins that can be found in Antarctica. Their size could be 100 cm in length and their weight can be around 22 to 45 kg. Their body can control -40 degree Celsius temperature. 

2. King penguin

king penguin’s scientific name is Aptenodytes Patagonicus. They are the second largest species after the king emperor. They are quite similar to the king emperor but a little smaller. 

It has two subspecies; one is A.p. patagonicus and the other one is A. p. Halli; found in the South Atlantic and South Indian Oceans. They can dive from 100 meters to 300 meters underwater. 

3. Adélie Penguin

Adélie Penguins scientific name is Pygoscelis adelia. They can be found on Antarctic islands. They are the common penguin species among other species. They breed from October to February with 2 eggs approximately. 

4. Gentoo Penguin

Gentoo Penguins’ scientific name is Pygoscelis papua. They are somehow related to adélie penguins and chinstrap penguins. They have beautiful orange beaks and white patches over their heads. 

5. Yellow-eyed penguin

Yellow-eyed penguin’s scientific name is Megadyptes antipodes. They are familiar in the South Island, Southeastern of New Zealand. This yellow eyed penguin is mostly famous for their yellow feathers surrounding the eye areas.

6. Chinstrap penguin

Chinstrap penguin’s scientific name is Pygoscelis antarcticus. They are familiar in the Southern Pacific and Antarctic Oceans. Under their mouth they had a thin and narrow black line and black helmet with its plumage that’s why their name is chinstrap penguin.

7. Macaroni Penguin

The Macaroni penguin’s scientific name is Eudyptes chrysolophus. They are familiar with royal penguins. It has yellow plumage over its head. Male Macaronis are comparatively larger, bigger, and stronger than females. 

8. African Penguins

African penguin’s scientific name is Spheniscus demersus. They are familiar with the South African Islands. They had a black and white pattern on their body with donkey-like braying sounds. 

9. Royal penguins

Royal penguins scientific name is Eudyptes schlegeli.  They are familiar in Macquarie Island. IUCN (International Union for Conservatives of Nature) has pointed out that these species are threatened. 

10. Little Penguin

The little penguin’s scientific name is Eudyptula minor. They are familiar in New Zealand.

Their plumage is slightly blue, that’s why they are also known as blue penguins. According to the IUCN, they are recognized as endangered species that are in the red spot for losing their species.

11. Humboldt Penguin

The Humboldt penguin’s scientific name is Spheniscus Humboldti. They are medium-sized penguins that are familiar in South America and the coastal areas of Peru. They have a white chin with black face. They also have excess swimming abilities among other penguin species. 

12. Australian Little Penguin

Australian little penguin’s scientific name is Eudyptula novaehollandiae. They are also known as fairy penguins. They are familiar in Australia and Otago in New Zealand. Their plumage is blue with dark brown beaks.

13. Fiordland Penguin

Fiordland penguins another scientific name is Eudyptes pachyrhynchus. They are mostly found in New Zealand. They have yellow crests beside their eyes and light orange beaks.  They also have a brood reduction system which is different from other birds. 

14. Snares Penguin

Snares penguin’s scientific name is Eudyptes robustus. They are mostly common in New Zealand on Snares Island. Their weight is around 8 pounds and height is around 27 inches tall.

15. Galapagos penguins

Galapagos penguins’ scientific name is Spheniscus mendiculus. They are mostly familiar in the North Island of the Galapagos. They spend maximum time in the water. Their height is 20 inches long and their weight is around 6 to 20 pounds. They are on the endangered list because only 1200 species are left among them.

Scientific classification of penguins

Penguins are under the criteria of Animalia kingdom and their class is aves. Aves class is mostly referred to as bird species.

They are also categorized in the order of Sphenisciformes and their family is Spheniscidae based on their characteristics. That is why scientifically penguins are under the group avian species. 

Penguin’s Diet and Habits

Penguins eat small fish, krill, cod, opal fish, and squids for their food. They can spend 80% of their life in the water with their diet and habits. Their diet depended on the different species and their different habitats.

They are very skillful hunters and can easily modify their bodies underwater according to their needs. They prefer large groups of communities for nesting or breeding. They can communicate with their vocals and use several sounds to identify their colonies, groups, and mates. 

Common misconceptions about penguins 

Some people have misconceptions about them being a bird or mammals because of their flightless ability.

Is a penguin a bird or a mammal?

Penguins are on the list of birds. Though they have certain characteristics of mammals. They can produce milk for their babies which makes them different from other avian species. It is not exactly milk like mammals produce.

But they can produce crop milk which they feed their newly born babies. Mammals give birth to their children but penguins lay eggs just like other birds. Similarly, they do not have teeth like mammal species do for example dolphins. They have long thin beaks similar to birds.  That is why they are birds and they belong in the category of avian species

The misconception of penguins being fish

Again some people might have misconceptions about them for being a fish. But no, they are not fish. They are birds.

Though their bodies have some features like fish such as flappers and amazing swimming abilities. It makes them great swimmers.

This flapper also helps them to utilize their bodies underwater. Though they spend the maximum period of their lifespan in water, still they are not fish. 

Because their body is warmly blooded but fish are cold-blooded. Also, penguins have four chambered hearts just like other birds but fish have two chambered hearts. That is why penguins are not fish but birds.

Conclusion 

In conclusion, we can claim that penguins are birds and belong to the avian species because of their features, characteristics, and other similar qualities of birds. Though they have certain characteristics of mammals such as producing milk and fish and underwater diving skills. Still, they are flightless birds and counted as birds among all other flightless birds that can not fly.

To know more about avian species of birds you may explore other articles about birds. For example, there are lots of blue birds with orange chests, birds as lucky, and their symbolism from cultural, historical, and religious perspectives. Through this, you can explore the wonder of this species and acquire knowledge about them.