King Penguin Facts and Photos
Ranked #779 in Pets & Animals, #20,952 overall
Facts About King Penguins
The elegant King penguin is the second tallest species of Penguin. They look quite similar to the Emperor penguin, however the colouring around the King Penguin's head and chest is brighter, and of course, they are not as large.
Looking for facts about King penguins? On this page along with penguin facts you will find short videos, crafts, photos, and penguin colouring pages.
Image Credit
Scientific Classification
King Penguins
Aptenodytes patagonica
King Penguin Photo
Beautiful colours on the head and neck of the King penguin
King Penguin Photo taken by Mike Usher, National Science Foundation
Antarctic Photo Library
King Penguin Facts
More information on the King penguin
King penguins have the brightest colouring of all penguin species
Height: 95cm - 3.1 ft
Weight: 15kg - 33lb
The King penguin, like the Emperor penguin, lays one egg and carries it around on its feet covering the egg with its brood patch which is a flap of abdominal skin.
When chicks are old enough to be left alone, the parents leave them for 4-6 weeks while they search for food.
- King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) - Birds in Backyards Fact sheet
- The King Penguin is the second largest of the penguins, and is a tall, stately bird with prominent orange and black head-markings. The eye is fawn to dark grey-brown, the bill is long, slender and black, and this species is recognised by an orange to yellow ear patch shaped like an inverted teardrop
- King penguin factsheet on ARKive - Aptenodytes patagonicus
- King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) Fact sheet
- CoolAntarctica
- King penguins are one of the "classic" species that people think of when the think of penguins.
King Penguin Habitat
Where do King Penguins live?
King penguins live on sub-Antarctic islands with the largest known colony of King penguins being on the island of South Georgia.
Other large colonies are located on the Falkland Islands, Macquarie Island, Heard Island, Iles Crozet and Marion island.
The King penguin stays with its own colony with no interbreeding between the colonies.
The King penguin does not migrate and lives year round in its colony.
King Penguins
have also been called Woolly penguins
Woolly Penguins
They look like a different species!
King penguin chicks don't look at all like their King parents. King penguin chicks have very thick brown downey feathers and because of this, they were once given the name Woolly Penguins.
King penguin chicks look like a round and fluffy ball, quite different to their tall, elegant and colourful parents.
Photo: Photographed by Mila Zinkova in January, 1999 King Penguins a parent and a chick at South Georgia Island.
Learn about the King Penguin breeding cycle
King penguin looking for its chick
Chicks do not go into the water until they loose their fluffy brown down
King penguins and their young - David Attenborough - BBC wildlife
How can you tell Emperor and King Penguins apart?
Aside from Emperor penguins being much taller, the King penguin can be distinguished by its longer bill, orange patches on its breast and slender bodies.
Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Sphenisciformes
Family: Spheniscidae
Genera: Aptenodytes
Species: patagonicus
King penguins feed on small fish and squid
King Penguin Photo
King penguins live up to 30 years in captivity
King Penguin Predators
While at sea Leopard seals and Killer whales prey on King penguins.
Chicks and eggs on land may be snatched by large shore birds.
Online Resources
- King Penguin (Aptenodytes patagonica)
- A description of the King Penguin, found on many of the subantarctic islands
- Photovolcanica.com
- King penguins. Photos and information on King penguins and their Habitat
- University of Michigan Museum of Diversity
- Extensive information on the King penguin
- New Zealand Birds | Birds | Gallery | King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus
- King penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus, found in New Zealand Birds' bird gallery section, includes general information about the bird, taxonomy, description, where to find them and other useful and interesting information.
- ARKive
- King penguin - overview - View incredible King penguin videos -
Two sub-species of King penguin are recognised
Aptenodytes patagonica patagonicus
Aptenodytes patagonica halli
King Penguin Photo
King Penguin Conservation Efforts
- King penguins recolonise Macquarie Island :: Australian Antarctic Division
- King penguins are recolonising the Macquarie Island Isthmus almost 100 years after the populations were slashed by commercial harvesting.
King penguin feeding its chick
Crafts and Activities
- King Penguin Papercraft
- King Penguin Papercraft - Make a paper model of a King Penguin
- Coloring Page Factory : Free Coloring Pages :Animals-King-Penguin
- Colour a cartoon King Penguin
King Penguin News
- Adventure Life Reviews Antarctica Travel Information: Early Season is Ideal
- Highlights of the early season in Antarctica include: Elephant Seal pups and King Penguin chicks on South Georgia Island; Penguin courting, mating, and nest-building activities; Blooming wildflowers and rare orchids; Light-mantled Sooty Albatross, ...
- Marketing position offers Highland grad valuable experience
- The best moment of all was when I hugged a King Penguin named Leon,? she said. ?I have really enjoyed the connections I have made at SeaWorld. Within my first weeks here, I was given projects and ran them on my own. I learned to ask questions when ...
Learn about Penguins
I love comments!
-
-
mel-kav
May 9, 2012 @ 6:39 am | delete
- Great lens. Beautiful little penguins!
-
-
-
KathyMcGraw
Mar 16, 2012 @ 11:36 pm | delete
- Did you see the news last week about the penguins on the airplane walking down the aisle? I think they were the King Penguins as they didn't look very tall. I enjoyed reading this, thanks.
-
-
-
blackspanielgallery
Feb 9, 2012 @ 10:37 pm | delete
- Nice lens.
-
-
-
cffutah
Jan 30, 2012 @ 10:44 pm | delete
- happy to be the first to pin this!
-
-
-
mayapearl
Jun 3, 2011 @ 3:06 am | delete
- Great lens about penguins!
-
-
-
ArtByLinda Apr 5, 2011 @ 4:13 pm | delete
- This is such a beautiful len,I love penguins and you have done an excellent job of sharing beautiful photos as well as educating us about the penguin, well done! Blessed!
-
-
-
ukgreetingcards
Mar 16, 2011 @ 3:45 am | delete
- Lovely lens thanks for sharing with us
-
-
-
UltraMilk
Jan 18, 2011 @ 10:54 pm | delete
- Happy feet!
Anyway, these birds sure are pretty :D
-
-
-
TapIn2U Jan 15, 2011 @ 10:18 am | delete
- Penguins have always fascinated me. And the video is truly amazing! Wonderful lens and amazing info on penguins. Good job! Hey, I’ve just finished my second lens on a 3-step plan to achieve your Goals and New Years Resolutions.When you have a moment, I would love to hear what you think. If you have a suggestion- please let me know. I’m learning as I go and so appreciate your help. Sundae ;-)
-
-
-
LubosLabik
Jan 15, 2011 @ 6:42 am | delete
- Again something that I didn't know before :)
-
- Load More
by seegreen
Explore related pages
- Little Blue Fairy Penguins Little Blue Fairy Penguins
- Penguin Coloring Pages Penguin Coloring Pages
- Facts about Emperor Penguins for Kids Facts about Emperor Penguins for Kids
- Cute Christmas Penguins Cute Christmas Penguins
- Penguin Costume for Kids Penguin Costume for Kids
- Cute and Funny Penguins Videos Cute and Funny Penguins Videos
