Penguins are birds. They lay eggs, one or two depending on species, and have feathers. Their flippers are wings with fused bones. Some penguins mate for life, as long as one of the pair doesn't come back to the beach too late, and some will have affairs. Breeding season is very constrained over most of their territory; a week or two may make the difference in whether the chicks can fledge in time for winter weather.
There are seventeen species of penguins--emperors, kings, Adelies, gentoos, royals, macaronis, yellow-eyed, Magellans, Galapagos, rock hoppers, fairy, chinstraps, jackass, Snares, Humbolt, fiordlands, and erect-crested. They all live in the southern hemisphere, in cold water. The Galapagos are found nearly on the equator and the Humbolt along the western coast of South America, but both of these species feed in the cold ocean currents just offshore.
This website is concerned primarily with emperors, kings, Adelies, gentoos, royals and yellow-eyed, which are the birds I have seen myself in the wild. I have observed rockhoppers in the zoo and may add them to the list.
Emperors live in Antarctica proper. They lay their eggs on the fast ice. Most Emperors will never set foot on solid earth. Emps have very cute chicks, with grey bodies, and black and white heads. Emperor males brood the eggs over the winter while the females are feeding at sea; Emps are the only penguins that will huddle closely together while sitting on eggs. All the other penguins maintain a well-enforced "pecking distance" between each nest.
At a quick glance, Kings resemble Emps. Both have orange beak patches, and orange ear patches. Emps are more muted, and kings are brighter. King ear patches are closed; Emps' are open and the color drains into the chest flush. Kings live on the peri-Antarctic islands and carry their eggs on their feet. King chicks are brown and very fluffy. They are not particularly cute, as chicks go.
Emperors are the largest penguins; kings are the next biggest. The long-tails are all about the same size, 28", although gentoos can reach 30". The crested penguins and striped birds are smaller.
Adelies have a white circle around their eyes. They are the penguins most often used as models for cartoons and toys. When they run, they hold their wings at a 120-degree angle and from the air, they make the Mercedes-Benz symbol. Adelies nest on the beaches of the Antarctic continent and have grey chicks.
Gentoos have a white slash above their eyes, and vibrant orange beaks and feet. Their chicks are grey and white. Gentoos nest on the peri-Antarctic islands, not far from the king rookeries.
Royals have yellow crests above their eyes, pink feet, and a reddish beak. They differ from other crested penguins in that the feathers under their chins are white, not black. They nest high above the beach on Macquarie Island, a protectorate of Australia, and share a beaching strip with Kings and elephant seals. There is some argument as to whether Royals are actually a different race of macaronis; it is possible to tell which side of this argument is supported by a particular photographer. If the pictures of a Royal show a bird with grey-to-black feathers surrounding its eye, the photog. believes in the "different race" theory. Photographers supporting the "different species" theory will show Royals with clear white feathers surrounding their eyes. If you look carefully at a picture of a Royal colony, you will see birds of both colorations.
Various species have characteristic mannerisms and postures; it is possible to tell them apart simply by the way they move. Kings move with much more rhythm and fluidity than do Emps, which are always very dignified. Adelies have a flightiness about them, if that term can be applied to a flightless bird, and Gentoos are fairly graceful.
For more information about any of these birds, see the books listed in the References page, or drop me a note.