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Emperor Penguin

The largest seabirds in Antarctica, emperor penguins are some of the most recognizable birds in the animal kingdom. They are known to congregate in massive group huddles, ranging in size from a couple hundred birds to thousands. 

 

Emperor penguins can grow to be a towering 1.3 meters (4.25 feet) tall and have a wingspan up to 89 centimeters (35 inches). Their iconic coloring is a contrast of black and white, accented by striking orange and yellow hues on their head and chest. Despite their upright, almost comical appearance on land, emperor penguins are powerful and agile in the water. They are skilled divers, reaching depths of up to 500 meters while hunting for prey. They primarily consume fish, crustaceans (mainly krill), and squid. Using their rough, spiky tongue, they keep prey from slipping out of their mouths. 

As a monogamous species, courtship plays a vital role in their breeding cycle. While trying to attract potential mates, emperor penguins will call out to each other. Once coupled up, they will go silent to allow the non-paired penguins to shine and locate each other more easily. Calls resume as a form of communication once breeding season begins. 

Life in Antarctica’s brutal winter demands cooperation and endurance. To conserve energy and withstand frigid temperatures, emperor penguins form tightly packed huddles, making small, continuous shuffling movements within their group, and typically sticking by their mates. Males, in particular, demonstrate extraordinary resilience: after females lay a single egg, males incubate it on their feet beneath a brood pouch, sometimes remaining nearly motionless for days at a time. 

 

 

The most prominent threat to emperor penguins is climate change. Due to the climate crisis, these Antarctic seabirds are struggling to adapt to weather extremes that impact their food supply, ability to incubate their eggs and successfully breed, and melting the sea ice they live on. These threats have led to emperor penguins being listed as an Endangered species on the IUCN Red List. 

 

 

Oceana’s science-driven campaigns are working to protect our oceans and combat the climate crisis by urging global leaders to act. Learn more about our work and how you can get involved here.

 

 

 

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