Penguins crop up time and again in popular culture, but there’s much more to these flightless birds than meets the eye.
Some species thrive (surprisingly) in tropical climates, others lay ‘half’ an egg, and there are some that form colossal breeding colonies that dominate entire islands.
Here are some of the most fascinating facts about penguins.
Penguin facts
Erect-crested penguins lay one-and-a-half eggs
Some birds lay 20 eggs per clutch, while others lay just one. But most are at least a round number. The erect-crested penguins have an unusual egg-laying strategy, in which the first of the two eggs is only about half the size of the second. The difference is believed to be more pronounced than in any other bird, and interestingly, the parents never incubate the smaller egg and it never hatches.
The smallest penguin species is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the little penguin
The little penguin is the smallest of all the penguin species, and in Australia is known as the fairy penguin for this reason. They measure between 30-40cm tall and are 1-1.5kg in weight, depending on gender and time of year.
Find out more about the smallest birds in the world here.
Rival penguins can live side by side
Scientists at Palmer station on the West Antarctic Peninsula found that Adélie penguins have recently faced competition for food from gentoo penguins – but despite this, the two species have been foraging for food in the same areas, diving at different depths to catch prey.
Penguins’ feet never get cold
When the temperature falls below freezing, penguins will increase the circulation of warm blood to their feet. The added insulation from a fat layer and waterproof coat of specialised feathers help maintain this heat. As a result, penguins' feet will never freeze as they can thermoregulate.
Southern rockhopper penguins can jump
The diminutive southern rockhopper penguin can jump and hop from rock to rock, a skill that helps them navigate their rocky nesting sites on the islands north of Antarctica, from Chile to New Zealand.
All penguin species live in the southern hemisphere – except one
The Galápagos penguin is the only species that is found north of the equator, in the Galápagos Islands. It is therefore the most northerly species of penguin in the world, and has evolved to survive in tropical climates.
The macaroni penguin is believed to be the most common penguin species in the world
Although it is rapidly declining and classed as a vulnerable species, the macaroni penguin population is believed to have around 12.6 million mature individuals.
Of the 18 penguin species in the world, only two species make the Antarctic their permanent base
Penguins are the most common bird in the Antarctic, but of the 18 different species of penguin, only two – emperor and Adélie – make the Antarctic their permanent home, but others – chinstrap penguin, gentoo and macaroni – breed on the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula, where conditions are less harsh.
King penguins form enormous breeding colonies
A colony of king penguins on South Georgia Island holds over 100,000 breeding pairs. The colony that was previously considered to be the world’s largest – French island of Île aux Cochons (or Pig Island) – has shrunk by almost 90 per cent in the last 30 years. This colony once had over 2 million king penguins, but only 60,000 remain.
The Moseley’s rockhopper penguin is the most recently recognised penguin species
While it has been known about for many years, the Moseley’s rockhopper penguin used to be classified as a subspecies of the southern rockhopper penguin. It was given its new official species categorisation in 2006.
A real Magellanic penguin was used in the cast for Steve Coogan’s film The Penguin Lessons
While many might assume that the eponymous penguin in the 2025 film was added in post-production using CGI effects, The Penguin Lessons primarily features a live Magellanic penguin.
Male emperor penguins are responsible for caring for their young
Once a female emperor penguin lays an egg, she must return to the sea to feed, as she will be hungry from the challenges of pregnancy. The male will often support her in this endeavour, encouraging her to leave and fend for herself, by bowing his head to her feet and mirroring her calls. He will then keep the egg alive in his brood pouch, a special flap of skin that keeps the egg warm.
The Humboldt penguin thrives in brutal conditions of an ocean current
Famed for its adaptability and resilience, the Humboldt penguin thrives in the harsh conditions of the Humboldt Current, a cold ocean current that flows north along the western coast of South America.
There are no penguins in the Arctic
With the exception of the Galápagos Islands on the equator, penguins exclusively live in the southern hemisphere. It’s likely that they haven’t spread further north because their inability to fly limits their ability to migrate significant distances.