King Penguin
Aptenodytes patagonicus
Habitat
Aquatic
Diet
VertFishScav
Active Time
Diurnal
Size
11.7 kg
About This Species
Breeds in dense colonies of tens of thousands on sub-Antarctic islands, with adults recognisable by bold orange-yellow ear patches and an upright, deliberate walk on land. Visit colonies during the austral summer breeding season for the best chance of seeing courtship displays, chicks in their brown downy plumage, and adults returning from long foraging trips at sea.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Most colonies sit within protected reserves that set fixed minimum approach distances and marked viewing paths, typically in the range of five to ten metres, and these posted rules should always take precedence over any general guidance.
- Stay on designated paths, keep noise low, and never block a bird's route between the colony and the sea, since penguins that are cut off from the water can abandon eggs or chicks.
- Landing and access to many sub-Antarctic breeding sites is itself permit-controlled, reflecting how sensitive these colonies are to disturbance.
LCAvesSphenisciformesSpheniscidae
Seasonal Activity
190,930 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Sphenisciformes
- Family
- Spheniscidae
Traits
- Diet
- VertFishScav
- Foraging
- Aquatic
- Activity
- Diurnal
- Body mass
- 11.7 kg
Photo
Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons
CC-BY-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.