30 Fun Facts About Penguins

A fish underwater swimming near the surface of the water.

They are master swimmers.

Black and white close-up photo of a group of penguins standing together.

They huddle for warmth.

A fish swimming underwater near the surface of the water.

Wings are like flippers.

Four penguins standing on snow with a person in yellow jacket in the background.

No penguins in North Pole.

Close-up of a penguin's head and upper body against a snowy background.

Gentoo is the fastest.

Three penguins standing on snow, with a person in a yellow jacket in the background.

They have no teeth.

A penguin standing on snow with a small rock nearby.

They slide on bellies.

A penguin with a distinctive crest of yellow feathers on its head, standing against a dark, rocky background.

Emperors dive deep.

A young penguin chick with gray down feathers and light-colored beak sitting inside a nest made of dirt and dry grass, partially obscured by the surrounding nest materials.

Pebbles are for nests.

A penguin walking on snow-covered ground with a snowy landscape in the background.

Tuxedos are camo.

A penguin standing on rocky ground among tall grass, holding a leaf in its beak.

They eat tiny krill.

A penguin standing on snow with a background of snow and ice.

They are birds, not fish.

A penguin swimming underwater, viewed from beneath the water surface, in black and white.

Some penguins travel long distances to find food.

Close-up of several penguins standing on sandy ground, with black heads and white bodies, some with blue markings on their heads.

Little blue penguin is the world’s smallest penguin.

A group of penguins on rocky shoreline by the ocean, with some penguins standing on rocks and others swimming in the water.

They spend more time in water than on land.

A penguin standing on the wet sandy beach near the shoreline with foamy ocean waves in the background.
A penguin swimming underwater with water bubbles around, showing its back and flippers.

Penguins communicate with unique calls

Some penguins stay underwater for over 20 minutes.

Two African penguins standing close together on rocky ground, with a third penguin in the background on a similar surface.

They can recognize their mates by sound.

A large group of penguins, mostly adult males with black and white bodies and orange accents on their heads and necks, standing closely together on a snowy surface.
Two penguins walking on a sandy beach with footprints.

Penguins have three layers of feathers.

Some species live near the equator.

Close-up of a penguin's head and upper body, showing black and white feathers with yellow markings on the neck, against a blue sky background.

Penguins are ancient birds with relatives that lived over 60 million years ago.

Three rockhopper penguins standing on a sandy surface near the ocean, with rocks in the background.
A close-up of a penguin with a yellow crest on its head, standing on a rocky surface.

There are 18 living penguin species.

A large group of penguins standing on snow and ice with a frozen sea and floating ice chunks in the background.

Not all penguins live in cold climates.

They can see better underwater than in air.

A close-up, black-and-white photograph of a penguin swimming in water, with its head submerged and body partially visible underwater.

Some penguins can dive deeper than 500 meters (1,640 feet).

A group of four penguins walking on a rocky beach with large rocks in the background.

Male penguins sometimes gift pebbles to females.

A black and white penguin standing on a sandy beach near the shoreline with foamy waves washing up around it.

They can drink salty water.

Close-up image of a king penguin's head and upper body with yellow-orange markings on its neck, black head, and gray feathers, against a blue sky background.

Penguins have existed for millions of years.

A black and white penguin with an orange beak standing on snow, with an icy landscape in the background.

Penguins are social animals.

Penguins standing on large rocks with a bright blue sky in the background.

Fossil penguins were once as tall as an adult human!

Four penguins standing on a rocky beach