Penguins (order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae) are a group of aquantic flightless birds. Highly adapted for life in the water, penguins have countershaded dark and white plumage, and their wings have evolved into flippers. Most penguins feed on krill, fish, squid and other forms of sea life which they catch while swimming underwater. They spend roughly half of their lives on land and the other half in the sea.
Scientific classification
Scientific classification
Kingdom :
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Animalia
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Phylum :
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Chordata
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Class :
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Aves
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Order :
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Sphenisciformes
Sharpe, 1891
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Family :
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Spheniscidae
Bonaparte, 1831
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HABITAT
They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere,Although almost all penguin species are native to the Southern Hemisphere, they are not found only in cold climates, such as Antarctica. In fact, only a few species of penguin live so far south. Several species are found in the temperatezone, and one species, the Galápagos penguin, lives near the equator.
Adults are coloured black and white with areas of orange and yellow on the head, neck, and breast. Some members of this species may grow to approximately 130 cm (about 50 inches) long and weigh 25 to 45 kg (55 to 100 pounds).
BEHAVIOUR
Diving penguins reach 6 to 12 km/h (3.7 to 7.5 mph).The small penguins do not usually dive deep; they catch their prey near the surface in dives last only one or two minutes. Meanwhile the large penguin can reaching a depth of 565 m (1,854 ft) for up to 22 minutes.
Penguins either waddle on their feet or slide on their bellies across the snow while using their feet to propel and steer themselves, a movement called "tobogganing", which conserves energy while moving quickly.
CYCLE
Penguins for the most part breed in large colonies. Most penguins lay two eggs in a clutch, although the two largest species.Penguins generally only lay one brood; the exception is the little penguin, which can raise two or three broods in a season.
So female penguins go looking for food while the male penguins incubating eggs.
This egg incubation process takes 2 months. During the incubation process, male penguins do not eat at all because they cannot leave the eggs and in winter food is not available.
After two months incubating and about to hatch, these eggs will then be taken over by female penguins who have returned from looking for food.
Questions!
1. Where penguins live?
2. What are their behaviour?
3. Tell me kingdom of penguins in Scientific Classification!
4. What the purpose of their migration
5. What is “tobogganing”?
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