Sealife guideThe king penguinAptenodytes patagonicus

The king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus)

Taxonomy

Common name: King penguin
French name: Manchot royal
Scientific name: Aptenodytes patagonicus (Miller, 1778)
Family name: Spheniscidae
Order name: Sphenisciformes
Class name: The sea birds

Description

The king penguin has a blue-black body with a white belly and very light orange markings on its head. The king penguin stands about 33 to 37 inches tall and weighs between 26 to 31 pounds.

The king penguin looks just like the emperor penguin !

It's difficult to distinguish females from males, as there is no notable difference in their appearance.

Range

The king penguin is found in the Antarctic Ocean along the rocky coasts of the Kerguelen islands and Crozet islands, in the southern Atlantic Ocean on the Falkland islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, or in the Indian Ocean on Heard island and the McDonald islands.

Habitat

The king penguin lives on the rocky coasts of the southern Atlantic Ocean and the Antarctic Ocean. Unlike other penguin species, the king penguin does not build a nest.

Diet

It feeds on squid and fish which it hunts to depths of around 656 feet.

Reproduction

Around November, the king penguin lays its egg on its feet, which is covered by a flap of skin to protect it from the cold. The egg is incubated by both parents alternately for 55 days, hatching into a chick that will remain nestled on its parents' feet for some time. The chick stays with its parents for about 11 months, after which it is mature enough to fend for itself.

Did you know ?

The king penguin is threatened by climate change, which affects its foraging area.

The king penguin is the second-largest penguin species in the world, after the emperor penguin.

The king penguin closely resembles the emperor penguin but it is distinguished by its smaller size.

The king penguin is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The king penguin appears in the IUCN Red List since 2020 within the category Least Concern !

Within the same genus

Emperor penguin
(Aptenodytes forsteri)

Within the same family

Royal Penguin
(Eudyptes schlegeli)

Southern rockhopper penguin
(Eudyptes chrysocome)

Chinstrap penguin
(Pygoscelis antarcticus)

Yellow-eyed penguin
(Megadyptes antipodes)

Adelie penguin
(Pygoscelis adeliae)

Galapagos penguin
(Spheniscus mendiculus)

African penguin
(Spheniscus demersus)

Gentoo penguin
(Pygoscelis papua)

Explore also

White-capped albatross
(Thalassarche cauta steadi)

Grey-headed albatross
(Thalassarche chrysostoma)

Waved albatross
(Phoebastria irrorata)

Wandering albatross
(Diomedea exulans)

Northern Royal Albatross
(Diomedea sanfordi)

Australasian gannet
(Morus serrator)

Sabine's gull
(Xema sabini)

Antarctic prion
(Pachyptila desolata)

Our latestUpdates

Sunday, March 23rd 2025

The plumose sea anemone

The plumose sea anemone is a key species in temperate and cold marine ecosystems. Its high adaptability, morphological diversity and reproductive strategies make it a crucial organism for understanding biological and ecological interactions in marine environments.

Saturday, March 22nd 2025

World Water Day 2025 | Save the glaciers

Glaciers are essential for drinking water, agriculture, industry, clean energy, and ecosystem preservation. However, their rapid melting threatens these vital resources, making it urgent to reduce carbon emissions and implement local strategies to protect these precious water reservoirs.

Friday, March 14th 2025

The narwhal

The narwhal is an Arctic cetacean well-known for its long, spiral tusk, which gives it a unique appearance. This cetacean is primarily found in the cold waters of the Arctic, where it lives in groups and is known for its seasonal migratory behaviors. The narwhal is of scientific interest due to its social behavior, biology and the mysteries surrounding the use of its tusk.

Photo of the Day

Vieille d’Arabie
(Cephalopholis hemistiktos)