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What are penguins?

Penguins are birds that cannot fly.		However, they swim very well and spend most of their lives in the sea.
They swim fast underwater or leap across the top of the waves. However, they lay their eggs and raise their chicks on land. All penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere.Some species, or kinds, of penguin spend as much as 75% of their lives in the water.
Habitat
	Penguin habitats range from frozen Antarctica to warmer tropical waters as far north as the Galapagos Islands, on the equator. They are quite defenceless birds, so they usually live in remote places. There are 17 species of penguin.Four species; The Adelie, the Emperor, the Chinstrap and the Gentoo, breed in Antarctica. Several other species are found in the Antarctic: about 24 million penguins visit the continent. The penguin colonies on Antarctica are huge; for example, there are millions of pairs of Chinstrap penguins.

The Chinstrap	The Emperor
The Adelie	The Gentoo

Bodies
All penguins have a big head and a short, thick neck. Their bodies are a streamlined shape with a short, wedge-shaped tail. They have heavy bones which allow them to stay underwater. Their wings have developed into flippers. They dive deep into the water and 'fly' underwater at great speed. They have webbed feet which are used when swimming.

Penguins have a lighter color on the belly and a darker color on their back, which helps camouflage them when they are in the water. When swimming, the dark color is on top, making them hard to see from above. Their bodies have a thick layer of fat to help keep them warm and shiny, and waterproof feathers to keep their skin dry. Penguins have more feathers than most other birds - about 70 feathers every 5 square cm. Some penguins, such as the Macaroni penguin and the Rockhopper penguin, have a feathery crest on their heads.Like most birds, penguins have very little sense of smell and a limited sense of taste. Scientists think penguins may be shortsighted on land but that their eyesight is better when they are underwater.

Diet
Penguins feed in the ocean. They eat fish, crustaceans (such as krill and shrimp), and squid.

Life Cycle
Penguins are very social birds. Rookeries may contain thousands of individual birds. Even at sea, they tend to swim and feed in groups.

Being birds, female penguins lay eggs after mating. Most species of penguins build nests, but the nests may consist only of a pile of rocks or hollows in the dirt. Emperor penguins do not build nests; males hold the egg on top of their feet under a fold of skin called a brood patch. Penguin chicks have big appetite and grow quickly, many soon becoming almost as big as their parents. Penguin chicks have a short time before they are independent of adults.

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