Be taught all in regards to the penguins of the Antarctic areas. Filmed in Antarctica, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia, see gentoos, king penguins, Magellanic penguins, and rockhoppers and learn the way these outstanding aquatic birds have tailored to life within the icy waters of this outstanding wilderness.
All penguins are completely tailored for all times within the ocean, with attribute black and white plumage, wings modified to paddle-like flippers, and specialised beaks to grip their slippery prey.
Penguins are available various sizes
Throughout my Antarctic expedition I filmed seven totally different species together with rockhoppers, Magellanic penguins, gentoos and king penguins. Standing at simply 50cm, the rockhopper is the smallest penguin I noticed and the king penguin the tallest, between 70 and 100 cm. In contrast to most different birds, penguins can’t fly, however have advanced to make use of their wings as flippers to propel via the water as a substitute. Gentoos are the quickest of those species and may attain speeds of as much as 22 mph. These birds are additionally distinctive divers and may spend a number of minutes underwater trying to find prey. King penguins usually dive to about 100m, however have been recorded at depths of over 300m!
Penguin feathers
Penguin feathers are shorter and stiffer than most chook feathers, which helps to streamline them in water. These feathers are additionally densely packed, trapping air to supply higher insulation in opposition to the chilly, and have an oily waterproof coating which the birds replenish each day from a preen gland above their tails.Â
Penguin weight-reduction plan
Penguins feed on a variety of marine life which they regurgitate for chicks again on land. Smaller penguins just like the chinstraps eat small crustaceans and molluscs, like krill and squid, whereas bigger species just like the king penguin hunt largely for fish, with lanternfish being their commonest prey. Every species can also be extremely specialised for his or her alternative of meals with sharp beaks, highly effective jaws and bristled mouths that assist grip their slippery prey.
Completely tailored
Penguins are really outstanding creatures, braving a number of the harshest environments on earth. From highly effective flippers and streamlined feathers, to professional swimming abilities and specialised beaks, these birds show that even within the hardest climates, with the suitable diversifications, life can thrive!
