Bird
Emperor Penguin
The largest penguin, built for the Antarctic winter
Species group · 6 profiles
Penguins
Six penguin species profiled, from the 30 cm little penguin to the emperor. Size, diet, range and IUCN Red List status for each, with real photos.
Quick answer
Penguins are flightless seabirds that swim with stiff, flipper-like wings. The IOC World Bird List (version 15.2) recognises 19 living species, all in the Southern Hemisphere apart from the Galápagos penguin, whose range just crosses the equator. This hub profiles six: the emperor and king penguins, the two largest; the Adélie and gentoo of Antarctica and the sub-Antarctic islands; the African penguin of South Africa and Namibia; and the little penguin of Australia and New Zealand, the smallest at about 30 cm tall. Each profile gives size, diet, range and the species' current IUCN Red List status, which runs from Least Concern to Critically Endangered.
Penguins in this guide
Bird
King Penguin
The second-largest penguin, with orange ear patches
Bird
Adélie Penguin
The classic penguin of Antarctic coasts
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Gentoo Penguin
The orange-billed penguin with a white headband
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African Penguin
Africa's only penguin, now Critically Endangered
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Little Penguin
The world's smallest penguin
Telling them apart
Emperor and king penguins are often confused. Both have orange-yellow ear patches, but the emperor is bigger, breeds on Antarctic sea ice through the winter and has paler, softer-edged patches. The king breeds on sub-Antarctic islands and has bright, sharply outlined orange patches. Gentoos are easy to spot by their orange bill and white headband, and Adélies by their all-black head and white eye-ring.
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Penguins: common questions
How many species of penguin are there?
The IOC World Bird List (version 15.2) recognises 19 living penguin species. Other authorities count between 17 and 20, depending on whether groups such as the rockhopper penguins are split into separate species.
What is the largest penguin?
The emperor penguin is the largest. The king penguin is second, standing 85–95 cm tall and averaging about 12 kg.
What is the smallest penguin?
The little penguin of southern Australia and New Zealand, which stands about 30 cm tall and weighs 1.1–1.2 kg.
Do penguins live at the North Pole?
No. Wild penguins live only in the Southern Hemisphere, apart from the Galápagos penguin on the equator. The Arctic has auks such as the Atlantic puffin, which look a little like penguins but can fly.