This article lays down the most amazing Penguin Facts for kids that your kid would definitely love to know. Penguin is an aquatic and flightless bird that has wings more like fins which help them to swim.
Emperor penguins are the largest living penguin species belonging to the aquatic group. These flightless birds are usually found in the coolest areas of the world such as the Antarctica. Emperor penguins are accustomed to live in water and these birds have wings (more like fins) which helps them to maintain a sheer balance while walking and swimming. With the help of these wings they swim at a rapid pace and it gives the same view as the birds flying in the air.
Penguin Facts for Kids
So far as the appearance of these birds is concerned there is a clear demarcation line that separates the two colors (black and white). For feeding emperor penguins usually take on krill, squid and other fishes. Half of their entire life is spent under water where they take on their hunt and the remaining time on the land. Apart from living in cool areas these flightless birds also exist under the moderate temperature, though rare.
- In the prehistoric times there were penguins of almost equal in size and weight as that of adult humans.
- However the smallest penguin species are known as Fairy Blue Penguins with the height of just 40 cm (16 inch) and weighing around 1 kg (2.2 lb).
Learn more: Emperor Penguin Facts For Kids
More Penguin Facts for Kids
1) The average length of these birds is about 1.1 m (3 feet 7 inch) with the weight of 35 kg (75 lbs).
2) The outer look of all penguins are such that it completely disguises its predators (especially those under water such as seal) since the penguins’ back is fully black as against the front which is white it becomes very difficult for the predator to make a distinction between a belly and the water surface.
3) Penguins under water have the average speed of about 6-10 km/h (3 to 7.5 mph). However some sources reveal that the speed is 27 km/h (17 mph).
4) Unlike bigger penguins the smaller ones do not dive deep into the water and they usually catch the prey at the surface. Their maximum diving duration is about 2 minutes.
5) When it comes to the larger penguins they are capable of diving in depth of about 565 m (1870 feet). Their duration lasts up to 22 minutes which is why they have enough opportunity to catch their prey at ease.
6) Emperor penguins usually slip through the ice with their belly and the sliding is known as ‘Tobogganing’. This sliding helps in conserving energy whilst moving rapidly.
7) These penguins jump with both feet which is usually needed when running from the predators.
8) As far as hearing senses are concerned emperor penguins are not so good in that they’ve the average sense that is typically used to find out the parents or kittens in congestion.
9) However, when it comes to seeing under water they are the best for sure perhaps due to the reason that it is the only means by which penguins detect their killers.
10) Penguins’ feathers are thick so much so that they keep them warm even in the extreme temperatures of minus 50 degree centigrade. Sources reveal that these flightless birds lose heat more in water as compared to the air.
11) The mass of the emperor penguins are the greatest when compared to other penguins.
12) They have the strange ability to control the blood flow while pushing down the colder blood to survive in the extreme weather.
13) The body color is absolute black from the back while the front is white and has yellow beaks.
14) Their relationship with humans is an awfully friendly and they are not hesitant to approach them as a matter of fact they march towards explorers in groups showing a bit gracious attitude. The reason may be that they are not often hunted at land by their predators.
15) Under water emperor penguins are mostly predated by the leopard seal.
16) Normally, it has been observed that these flightless birds keep a distance of about 3 meters (10 feet) from the source. Since nervousness starts beyond this point.
17) They are capable of drinking salt water for the reason that they have supraorbital gland which separates out the excess salt from the blood.
18) Unlike other species emperor penguins have relatively a different phenomenon in that the males are usually responsible for looking after the eggs.
19) Most of the time emperor penguins breed in large colonies which indeed helps them to socially interact with the birds.
20) As compared to other birds penguin eggs are smaller in size with the weight of 52 g (2 0z). However, emperor penguin eggs are much heavier in that the weight is about 450 g (I lb). There is also the larger percentage of yolk that is to say 22-31% of the egg.
21) One of the strange intuitions of these penguins is that the females seem to whip off the chicks from other mothers though most of the time the attempt is made unsuccessful by the original mothers.
If your kid is showing interest in theses penguin facts then why not surprise him today by showing him some penguin movies. Following is the list of some of the best penguin movies that your kid will love to watch and will be an amazing learning experience.
1. Happy Feet
Hi, I’m Ebon Talifarro, my students (6th grade) wants to interview you, would you have time to answer a few questions?