Meet the King!
We met the king of Antarctica today! Most people think that all penguins call the South Pole home, but only 8 species live in this harsh environment. Today though we are meeting the King penguins. Sadly they don’t wear crowns.
King Penguins Fun Facts:
- These birds are the 2nd largest penguin species in the world. Do you remember the largest?
- Kings are easy to spot with their oranges spots on their heads and beaks and chests.
- Both parents incubate the egg on their feet and brooding pouch, switching the egg every few weeks.
- These efficient carnivores can dive as deep as 950 feet. More commonly they go around to 164 feet deep.
- The chicks look very different than the adults. They are fluffy and brown! Scientists first thought they were a separate species when they first saw them.
- Chicks stay with their parents and the colony for almost a year. This means king penguins only have one to two chicks every two-three years.
- They are currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
We love these gregarious birds and their bright orange colorations. They always make us and laugh and of course we always practice our waddling after seeing them.