Pete & Barbara's Penguin Page

Brief Species Notes
	Genus Aptenodytes (Unwinged Diver): The large penguins
	Emperor penguins are one of the two species that are strictly Antarctic. Emperors are the only birds that never set foot on dry land. Emperor rookeries are found on the Antarctic ice shelves, the male penguins incubate the eggs on their feet during the Antarctic winter. Emperor penguins are rarely held in captivity, they can only be seen in Antarctica, or in the Penguin Encounters at the Sea World parks in San Diego and Ohio. Photo Emperor penguin in pack ice. 16.7 kbytes (jpeg image). Photo Emperor penguins with juvenile, 'Jodie', Sea World, San Diego. 12.5 kbytes (jpeg image).
	King penguins are found on sub - Antarctic islands all around the Southern Ocean. King penguins are kept in many Zoos around the world. Perhaps the most famous collection is in Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland. The penguins there take a stroll around the Zoo every day! Photo Penguin parade at Edinburgh Zoo. 27.2 kbytes (jpeg image). Photo King and chick at Bristol Zoo. 6.4 kbytes (jpeg image). Photo King penguin just beginning moult on Campbell Island. 21.7 kbytes (jpeg image).

	Genus Pygoscelis (Elbow legs!): The brush-tailed penguins
	Adelie penguins are the other penguins (besides Emperors) that breed only on the Antarctic continent. Because they live in such a cold climate they are only kept in captivity in a few places (notably the Sea World Parks) Photos: Adelie penguins in pack ice. 24.9 kbytes (jpeg image). 4.9 kbytes (jpeg image).
	Chinstrap penguins breed on Antarctic and sub - Antarctic Islands - they are particularly noisy penguins and are sometimes also called Stonecracker penguins because of their piercing voices. Photo Chinstrap penguin lost on Campbell Island. 46.9 kbytes (jpeg image).
	Gentoo penguins breed on sub-Antarctic Islands all round the southern Ocean. They are easily recognizable by the white bonnet on their heads. Photo Gentoo penguin colony, Falkland Islands. 21.8 kbytes (jpeg image).

	Genus Eudyptes (Good Diver): The crested penguins
	Macaroni penguins are the largest of the six species of crested penguins. They breed on sub - Antarctic Islands south of Africa and America. They are kept in many Zoos throughout the world. Photo Macaroni penguin at Bristol Zoo. 9.0 kbytes (jpeg image). Photo Macaroni penguin chicks, Sea World, San Diego. 6.9 kbytes (jpeg image).
	Royal penguins are sometimes regarded as a sub-species of Macaroni penguins with a white throat. They are only found on Macquarie Island south of Australia. As far as we know there are no Royal penguins in captivity so you will have to go to Macquarie to see them. It is well worth the trip! Photo Royal penguin in water, Sandy Bay, Macquarie Island. 26.6 kbytes (jpeg image). Photo Royal penguins, Sandy Bay, Macquarie Island. 24.6 kbytes (jpeg image).
	Erect-crested penguins are found on several sub - Antarctic islands south of New Zealand. To see these penguins you will have to take a cruise around these islands. Photo Erect-crested penguins, Antipodes Islands. 24.5 kbytes (jpeg image).
	Snares penguins are only found, as their name suggests, on the Snares Islands, which are some 300 miles south of New Zealand and are a protected Nature Reserve. (Photo courtesy of Gerrit Kramer)
	Fiordland penguins are found among the fiords that make up the South West coast of New Zealand's South Island and on Stewart Island (just south of New Zealand). Their habitat is greatly threatened by the increasing presence of man in what is one of the world's last remaining wildernesses. They are further threatened by the many predators that man has accidentally (or deliberately) introduced to New Zealand over the last few centuries. Photo Fiordland penguins, Monro Beach, South Island, New Zealand. 34.7 kbytes (jpeg image).
	Rockhopper penguins are perhaps the commonest of the crested penguins. These small penguins are found on islands throughout the Southern Ocean. They are commonly kept in Zoos as well. Photo Rockhopper penguins, Antipodes Islands. 21.9 kbytes (jpeg image).

	Genus Spheniscus (Wedge Shaped): The banded penguins
	African (or Blackfooted, or Jackass) penguins are found around the southern coast of South Africa. The African penguins suffer from oil spillages from ships passing around the Cape. African penguins are very often seen in zoos. The African penguin enclosure at London Zoo is listed as being a building of special architectural merit, due to the unique use of pre-stressed concrete in its construction. African penguins can easily be seen at Boulders Beach . There is even an excellent guesthouse where you can stay in luxurious rooms and watch and listen to the penguins from your bed. We spent our last two wedding anniversaries there - strongly recommended! For plenty of photos of African Penguins see our photo index page
	Humboldt penguins are found on the Peruvian coast of South America. They are widely regarded as the most endangered of all the penguin species. There are several captive breeding colonies of Humboldt penguins in zoos around the world.
	Magellanic penguins are also found around the coast of South America and on some South Atlantic islands. They are widely displayed in zoos in North America. Photos all jpeg images 13.1 kbytes , 9.7 kbytes , 10.1 kbytes
	Galapagos penguins live on the equator, they are the most northerly of all the penguins. Photo courtesy of Blossom Gervacio - for more photos see our photo index page

	Genus Megadyptes (Large Diver): The Yellow-eyed penguin
	Yellow-eyed penguins come from New Zealand's South Island and from several sub-Antarctic islands to the south of New Zealand. On the New Zealand mainland, their habitat is disappearing at an alarming rate. A special society, the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust, has been set up to protect their environment. For photos of Yellow-eyed penguins, see our photo index page. Dave Houston has an excellent site on Yellow-eyed penguins in New Zealand

Genus Eudyptula (Good Little Diver): The Little penguins

Little penguins (or Fairy penguins) are found on the south coast of Australia and Tasmania and on New Zealand as well as many islands. Many people suggest that the Little penguins should be considered to consist of at least 2 distinct species, the Little Blue and the White Flippered penguins. Other sub-species of the Little penguin include the Chatham Islands and the Cook Strait penguins.

Click here to see thumbnails of some photos of Little penguins

Dave Houston has an excellent site on Little penguins in New Zealand

In 1994/5 we took a trip to Antarctica and the Sub- Antarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia. We saw 12 of these species in their natural habitat. We wrote a diary of our trip which includes some photos of the penguins we saw.

Guide to Pete & Barb's Penguin Pages Front Page and Introduction · Descriptions of the Penguins · Detailed Species Notes · Breeding Behaviour · Common questions · Penguin Goodies · Penguin Bibliography · Good Penguin Guide · Photo Index · Links to other penguin sites · 'Penguin-balls' · Endangered Penguins · Return to the top of this page

Brief Species Notes

Genus Aptenodytes (Unwinged Diver): The large penguins

Genus Pygoscelis (Elbow legs!): The brush-tailed penguins

Genus Eudyptes (Good Diver): The crested penguins

Genus Spheniscus (Wedge Shaped): The banded penguins

Genus Megadyptes (Large Diver): The Yellow-eyed penguin

Genus Eudyptula (Good Little Diver): The Little penguins

In 1994/5 we took a trip to Antarctica and the Sub- Antarctic Islands of New Zealand and Australia. We saw 12 of these species in their natural habitat. We wrote a diary of our trip which includes some photos of the penguins we saw.