# Gentoo Penguin (*Pygoscelis papua*)

The gentoo penguin (*Pygoscelis papua*) is a bird of the penguin family, Spheniscidae, in the order Sphenisciformes.

> The gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua) is a medium-to-large penguin with a bright orange-red bill and a white band across the top of its head. It breeds on sub-Antarctic islands and the Antarctic Peninsula, building nests of pebbles, and averages about 6 kg. Gentoos typically live around 13 years. With about 774,000 mature birds and a stable trend, it is listed as Least Concern.

- **Category:** Bird
- **Conservation status (IUCN-style):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Sub-Antarctic islands of the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic Peninsula, roughly 45–65° South.
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/gentoo-penguin/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Aves
- **Order:** Sphenisciformes
- **Family:** Spheniscidae
- **Genus:** Pygoscelis

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Pygoscelis papua |
| Diet | Krill, fish and squid |
| Habitat | Sub-Antarctic islands and Antarctic Peninsula coasts |
| Range | Southern Ocean, roughly 45–65° South |
| Weight | Average about 5.9 kg |
| Lifespan | On average about 13 years |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020) |

## Identification

Gentoos have a black back and head, a white belly, and a white patch over each eye that joins across the crown like a headband. The bill is bright orange-red and the feet are orange. They also have the longest tails of any penguin, which sweep from side to side as they walk.

## Pebble nests

Pairs build round nests of pebbles, moss and grass, and neighbours often steal stones from one another. They usually lay two eggs and both parents incubate and feed the chicks, which gather in groups called crèches once they are a few weeks old.

## Diving for krill

Gentoos feed close to their colonies, making many short dives a day for Antarctic krill, small fish and squid. Most chicks die in their first year, but adults that survive have an annual survival rate of about 80%.

## Status

BirdLife International lists the gentoo penguin as Least Concern (2020) with about 774,000 mature birds and a stable trend. On the Antarctic Peninsula gentoos have spread south as the climate has warmed and sea ice has retreated.

## Frequently asked questions

### How do you recognise a gentoo penguin?

By its bright orange-red bill, orange feet and the white band across the top of its head from eye to eye.

### Where do gentoo penguins live?

On islands of the Southern Ocean, such as the Falklands, South Georgia and Kerguelen, and on the Antarctic Peninsula.

### Why do penguins steal pebbles?

Pebbles are in short supply and a raised stone nest keeps eggs out of meltwater, so gentoos (and Adélie penguins) often take stones from neighbouring nests.

### How long do gentoo penguins live?

On average about 13 years.

## Sources

- [BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: Gentoo Penguin Pygoscelis papua. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/gentoo-penguin-pygoscelis-papua)
- [Animal Diversity Web: Pygoscelis papua. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.](https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Pygoscelis_papua/)
- Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898
- [Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.](https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/)

## Help protect the Gentoo Penguin

Even familiar animals lose ground as wild habitat keeps shrinking worldwide.

[Donate to wildlife protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/donate/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/gentoo-penguin/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.