Everyone knows penguins - these unusual birds... With a tailcoat on the torso and red legs and beak, these beauties are very popular and beloved.

Moreover, the vast majority of people think that penguins live exclusively in Antarctica. However, this is not entirely true, the whole point is that there are as many as 18 species of penguins, and only 3 of them live directly in Antarctica and coastal waters with it. But first things first.

Currently living penguins are flightless, but good swimming birds. Penguins move very quickly in the water - about ten kilometers per hour. But on land they are clumsy, and although the webbed paws help the penguins to keep straight, they move along the ground at a speed of only a few kilometers per hour, but at the same time they are able to cover distances of up to 100 kilometers.

The harsh conditions in which some species of penguins live make them stray into numerous flocks and even colonies. During a severe cold and blizzard, the birds nestle together, keeping warm.
These birds feed mainly on fish - sardines, anchovies, silverfish. And some species prefer shrimp and shellfish. Birds drink sea water.

Where do they live?

And so where do they live, these same penguins. Many of us, sometimes even for a minute, still have doubts about where in the Arctic or Antarctica? But there should be no doubt - penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere and only in the Southern, and not only in the icy Antarctic and its coastal waters. Their habitat is a very large territory - this and southern part Australia, and New Zealand, and South Africa, the coast of Peru, and even the Galapagos Islands, where it is more than warm. But to be more precise ...

  1. Directly in Antarctica and its coastal waters, only two species of penguins live in our time - these are Adélie, Antarctic and Emperor.
  2. King penguins, like the Magellans, inhabit the islands - South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, Tierra del Fuego, Macquarie, Heard, Crozet.
  3. Crested penguins live on the islands of Tasmania and off the coast of Peru.
  4. Victoria penguins or thick-billed penguins live on the Stewart Islands and the South Coast of New Zealand.
  5. Gold-domed - inhabits southern Chile, as well as the Tierra del Fuego and Falkland Islands.
  6. Little penguins live on the coasts of South Australia and New Zealand.
  7. The main residences for Gorgeous Penguins have become the Campbell Archipelago, Bounty Island and Macquarie Island.
  8. Schlegel penguins also live there on Macquarie.
  9. Galapagos penguins, as it is already clear from the name itself, live on the Galapagos Islands.
  10. Humboldt Penguins live on the coast of Chile and Peru.
  11. Papuan live in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Kerguelen archipelago.
  12. Spectacled penguins - coast of South Africa and Namibia.

Does a penguin live in captivity?

Penguins live great and reproduce very well in zoos. Moreover, it has been established that in captivity, these birds live much longer.


Most likely simply because in wildlife penguins have a very harsh lifestyle, clearly not conducive to life extension - prohibitive low temperatures, difficulties with food and just an incredible number of enemies - predators, for which penguins are a means of food.

That is why in our days special nurseries began to be created, the main purpose of which is to contribute to an increase in penguin populations.

Penguins live in Antarctica, as they are very well adapted to extreme cold thanks to their unique feathers, small legs and circulatory system. For example, one of the penguin species found in Antarctica, the emperor penguin, has especially small legs and beak that help it retain body heat.

According to the Australian Security Department environment, Emperor penguins have many adaptive features that enable them to thrive in the extreme cold of Antarctica. Their feathers are very short and scale-like, which insulates penguins from the harsh environment. This protection also includes a large number of body fat. The veins and arteries of the penguin's circulatory system are close to each other, which helps the birds to process body heat. Penguins are very sociable and huddle together, keeping them warm during the freezing Antarctic winters.

However, not all penguins can survive in Antarctica. Of about two dozen penguin species, all of which live in the Southern Hemisphere, only a few are capable of dwelling in the cold of Antarctica. In fact, the Antarctic winter is the mating season for the emperor penguin. After laying one egg, the females hunt for the next two months while the males remain with the eggs.

Guess the riddle: it swims, but does not fly, and they call it a bird, who is it? Have you guessed? Of course - penguin... Our wonderful planet is inhabited by about 20 types these beauties. Water- the true element of the penguin. These birds are very attractive to me. Just look at their names: Royal, Imperial, Gold-domed, White-winged, they have something, I would say, majestic. I think they are very wonderful and funny, like children.

Penguin psychology very entertaining, they fear how they do not like to be alone, just like people. Always strive to be together, gather in big companies... One cannot help but admire them.

Penguin habitats

Probably not only I thought that penguins can only live in cold climates and their home is harsh Antarctica... But no. It turns out that these birds have mastered almost all earthly continents. You can meet these beautiful animals:

  • v TAsmania, on the coast South America , namely the Crested species;
  • on the Sanar Islands Big penguins live;
  • on the OStrowach Stuart and Solander, on the South Bank New Zealand Big-billed penguins are in charge;
  • Campbell Archipelago introduces you to the Gorgeous Penguin;
  • South atlantic hosted the Gold-headed representative of seabirds;
  • v Namibia and South Africa found comfortable housing for themselves Spectacled penguins;
  • Tierra del Fuego, Chile, Rio de Janeiro, South America introduce you to Magellanic Penguins
  • and, of course, in Antarctica you can watch Emperor Penguins and Adélie Penguins.

Family psychologists or why you need to know where penguins live

If someone else mistakenly thinks that penguins live in the north, then I hasten to upset you - they live only inSouthern hemisphere our planet. Do you know why we should know who the penguins are and where they live? So I will answer: the penguin is not just a noble bird, he is also an excellent family man.


If you want to learn something about quality relationships, then you should definitely learn from them. Penguins love to gather with families and have fun. They communicate a lot with each other, live in groups and take care of each other. Seabirds - wonderful parents, they are not alien sense of responsibility... They kiss their young, which indicates an ability to show warm feelings. Purposefulness- the middle name of the penguin, he will never deviate from his plan. Male penguins are always ready to intercede for their wife and children, they know how to resist dangers. In conclusion, I will say that I personally admire these birds. Their appearance and psychological qualities... I will say to myself that I would love to go to the place where penguins live to get to know them better.

They live only in Antarctica, have a tailcoat and are very clumsy. Is it really? Where do penguins live besides Antarctica? Let's figure it out. Let's immediately determine that the question of where the penguin lives has a broad answer: in the Southern Hemisphere. If you determine the area of ​​its habitat, in this way, then the error is excluded. In addition, it must be borne in mind that there are many penguins: sixteen species. Naturally, they occupy different territories. Let's take a look at the individual types.

Which of them lives in Antarctica?

In the snowy expanses, you can find an emperor penguin. This is the most large view... They reach a height of 120 cm. They swim very well, but do not like to be far from the coast (this applies to all species of these birds). I must say that this is the place where taboos live for other birds. The chinstrap penguin also lives here. His distinctive feature- "helmet" on the head. This is a kind of plumage color, which is a dark-colored hat, a leash goes from it to the neck. More interesting is not where the penguin of this species lives, but how it reproduces. It turns out that these frost-resistant birds incubate their chicks in the coldest time, warming the eggs with their bodies. Mom and Dad, replacing each other on the most important watch, touchingly take care of the offspring. Most penguins hatch only one chick. This is where the most famous species- Adele. After D "Jurville's acquaintance with this bird, Europeans became interested in the question of where the penguin lives. The fact is that this Frenchman was the first to describe this amazing species.

Where do penguins live besides Antarctica?

These birds can be found on almost all islands with a temperate climate. King penguins nest on the pieces of sushi formed into nests. They are adorned with orange quotation marks around the neck. The bird, adjacent to the royal relative, has a white stripe on the crown.

She was named Gentoo penguin, although she has nothing to do with these tribes. Although they are found on the Antarctic Peninsula, they prefer a more temperate climate. The Humboldt Penguin lives in Peru. It was discovered and studied by a German geographer, after whose name the bird is named. These birds have a white horseshoe on the back of their heads. I must say that all penguins differ from each other visually, having certain features characteristic only of this species.

Where do white penguins live?

Among the variety of these birds, some are distinguished by grandeur, others in size, and still others by extraordinary plumage. So, in the east of New Zealand, the white-winged penguin is found. The upper part of his body is covered with a bluish feather, the lower one is snow-white. And in the area of ​​the Chatham islands a baby nests, whose height does not exceed forty centimeters. This is a blue penguin.

Habitat Africa

Studying where the penguin lives, one cannot but pay attention to the hot continent. Do not be surprised! Africa has also sheltered representatives of this feathered variety. A donkey penguin lives there. They called him that for his voice, very similar to the cry of the prototype animal. You can see it only in the northernmost territories of the continent. The screamer does not nest anywhere else. The Galapagos Islands took another look. There is the birthplace of the eponymous representative of the penguins. Moreover, his relatives do not claim these territories. is the full owner of the islands.

Unusual birds

There are a number of penguins that stand out for their completely "unconventional" appearance. So, the crested one is the owner of the golden "hair". He has many yellowish feathers on his head. He also lives on the islands. An interesting description of his movements. Unlike the rest of his fellows, he does not know how to walk. When walking, it pushes off with both paws, and dives as a "soldier". Therefore, he earned the title of "rock jumper". grew even more hair. She covers him up to the back. Distributed widely: from Antarctica to the islands of the Indian and Atlantic zones of the Southern Ocean. He is similar to the Schlegel penguin. Only under his golden hair they flaunt

white sides. Three species of tufted penguins breed in New Zealand. They vary in size, but are generally similar to each other. On their heads flaunt "Iroquois" made of feathers.

Where can you see birds?

It is already clear that in order to study the habits of various penguins, you need to make a trip to the Southern Hemisphere. Don't get confused. These birds do not live in the Arctic (they have never been seen there). Their distribution area is the area near the South Pole. To study this species of birds, you will have to go to Australia, New Zealand or South Africa. And there already to develop a route, according to the goals and objectives defined for the expedition. It will not work to see all the species in a small area. Penguins don't like to travel long distances. They live in a "ancestral" place, determined, so to speak, historically. Most species are sheltered by New Zealand. There you can also look at the extraordinary yellow-eyed penguin, which was nicknamed magnificent.

Do birds live in captivity?

If you are interested in zoos, then you know: penguins exist and reproduce very well there. An interesting fact has been established.

When scientists asked how long penguins live, it turned out that captivity contributes to the length of their century. That is, in nature, birds die faster. Most likely, this is due to difficult living conditions, difficulties in obtaining food, many enemies in natural areas... Now special nurseries are being created, the purpose of which is to recreate the number of those populations that reach a critical level due to human progress. If birds are protected from natural predators, then the survival rate of the offspring increases significantly. So, scientists have calculated that only half of the hatched chicks live up to a year. If we take into account the loss of eggs, then twenty percent. However, the species live well and reproduce. Apparently, the main task human - not to interfere with the penguins decorate the planet with their wonderful diversity.

Penguins are unique birds that cannot fly. They are clumsy on land, but they feel great in the water. There are about 16 species on Earth, according to other sources - up to 20. Each species lives in different parts Sveta. Having adapted to the climate and living conditions on different continents, the penguins have mastered the territories of Antarctica, northern New Zealand, the southern coast of Australia, America (Argentina), Africa, and even settled on the equator (Galapagos Islands).

Places of residence different types penguins

Even before climate change on the planet, penguins lived in an area with temperate climate... With climate change and the shift of Antarctica to the South Pole, many species of animals left the ice-covered continent. Only a small number of adapted animals have mastered life in Antarctica. Penguins were one of them. Some penguin species left Antarctica and settled in other parts of the Southern Hemisphere.

Now in Antarctica, only 2 species of penguins live: Imperial and Adele. They can also be found in the coastal waters of Antarctica.

Most close relative Emperor Penguin, King penguin, inhabits islands in the Southern Hemisphere: Kerguelen, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, Tierra del Fuego, Macquarie, Heard, Crozet.

Another member of the penguin family, crested penguin, lives on the islands of the Subarctic, Tasmania and off the coast of South America.

The Solander Islands, Stewart Islands and the South Coast of New Zealand are inhabited by thick-billed penguin or the so-called Victoria penguin.

The inhabitant of the small archipelago of the Snar Islands is big penguin.

Golden-headed penguin inhabits the southern Atlantic (Tierra del Fuego islands, Falkland Islands), and is also distributed in southern Chile.

Little penguin lives on the coast of South Australia and New Zealand.

White-winged penguin inhabits the coasts of southern Australia and the western part of the South Island of New Zealand, Canterbury.

The main place of residence for gorgeous penguin became the Campbell Archipelago. Some of this species can be found on Bounty Island and in the east of Macquarie Island.

See gentoo penguin can be found in the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Kerguelen Archipelago.

Spectacled penguin is an inhabitant South Africa, Namibia, and is also found along the islands with the cold Bengal current.

The habitat of the Galapagos penguin is the Galapagos Islands. About 90% of the entire species of Galapagos penguins inhabit the islands of Fernandina and Isabela.

Humboldt Penguins live on the coast of Chile and Peru.

Magellanic Penguin inhabits the coasts of the islands of Juan Fernandez and Tierra del Fuego. In addition to Southern shores America this species is found in the north of Coquimbo (Chile) and Rio de Janeiro.