Penguins are unusual birds with a characteristic funny gait and not able to fly. It turns out their ability to fly disappeared millions of years ago, but they always stubbornly sought water.
Modern birds are better adapted to life on water than their ancestors. The most amazing facts about these amazing birds, you will learn from our article.
Penguins can fly?
In ancient times, penguins knew how to flybut then they developed the skills of swimming on water, and they forgot how to fly. Scientists claim that they moved along the sea surface. The ancestors of modern penguins settled in New Zealand 30 million years ago, weighed more than 180 kg and were twice as large. Over time, the whales began to crowd out the giants and only small individuals who did not need a lot of food could survive.
What do penguins eat?
Penguins are predators. They do not eat plants and vegetables, but fish and even meat. Squids and octopuses are present in their diet. This is due to the characteristics of the place of residence - in the Antarctic there are practically no plants.
There are other interesting facts:
- Emperor penguins are monogamous and can live in pairs for life.
- Big birds love to have fun. They lie on their stomachs and roll on the ice, pushing their legs and wings.
- They hunt once every two weeks, and immediately ate for the future.
- Males of a spectacled penguin can express their feelings by stroking a female wing on the head.
- To equip their nests, amazing birds use land and stones.
- Penguins are one of the most caring and devoted parents in the animal world. More in our article: the best fathers among animals.
- Feathered birds live on the Galapagos Islands, where the temperature is year-round - + 18 ... + 28 ° C.
- To warm themselves, birds gather in dense groups, inside which the temperature reaches +35 ° C. Furthermore, the ambient temperature is −20 ° C.
The back of black is not a simple whim of nature. Such a color palette attracts heat well and promotes heating. And this particular bird is the symbol of the Linux operating system.
Penguin Features
Hardy birds easily tolerate temperatures of minus 50 degrees. It is also worth noting the following features of penguins:
- Birds do not have the ability to breathe in water, but under water they can linger for 10-15 minutes.
- Good vision under water and poor on the surface.
- Excellent hearing ability.
- The thick layer of feathers acts as insulation and protects from cold weather.
- The ability to control blood circulation in the limbs.
- Penguins are able to drink both salt and fresh water.
- Polar bears don't eat penguins in more detail in our article: why don't polar bears eat penguins?
A feature is the daily cleaning of the feathers for several hours. The water resistance depends on the cleanliness of the feathers.
Penguins lay their eggs in the coldest periods. Hatching offspring and females and males, warming it in cold weather. The social skills of animals are also striking.They live in large communities. Imperial species live in colonies, the number of which can reach several thousand.
Big birds live in the southern hemisphere. Larger individuals live in cold areas, and small individuals prefer tropical climatic conditions. The main habitats are Antarctica, New Zealand, Australia and Chile.
In total, 17 species of birds stand out, 13 of which belong to endangered species. Large - emperor penguins. Their growth reaches 1.3 meters. The smallest ones are blue penguins with a height of 30-43 cm.
Penguins are able to feel normal in conditions of severe cold and vast depths. Resistance to extreme living is due to the unique properties of the digestive system, which is adapted to life by the sea. They can even drink salt water, as they have a special gland that does not allow sodium chloride to pass into the blood.
Penguins have no teeth, but there are spikes on their beak and tongue. They often swallow pebbles. This allows you to grind food, and also adds weight for easy diving.
Amazing swimming skills
Amazing birds are closely related to water. The ability to swim fully compensates for other shortcomings. Penguins can reach speeds in water up to 5-7 km per hour, but when chasing killer whales, this indicator increases. Wings are used as flippers, and the streamlined surface of the body allows you to spend less energy and quickly swim.
Birds can dive well too. For prey can dive to a great depth - up to 500 meters. The special bone structure helps them to compensate for the pressure. They are dense and non-tubular, which eliminates the risk of injury. To save oxygen, the heart rate also decreases.
We hope that now you have fewer questions about who the penguins are and what their unique features are.
