General Description
Largest penguin species. Counter-shaded colouration with black back and white belly. Yellow wash on upper parts of breast, with yellowish-orange markings around sides of head. Red line along bill. Can weigh up to 46 kg, maximum head-body length 115 cm.
Biology
Arrive in Antarctica for breeding between March and April, laying eggs in May and June. Birds are colonial but not territorial. Adults don't build nests and only lay one egg a year. Males incubate for up to 66 days.
Distribution
Circumpolar (Antarctica)
Habitat
Marine and pelagic environments.
More Information
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Animal Type
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Animal SubType
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Fast Fact
The tallest and heaviest of the penguins. Incubating males do not eat during the two months it takes for the egg to hatch. Parents and offspring find each other within a colony using complex and unique calls.
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Brief Id
Large bodied penguin with black back and head, white belly, yellow wash under chin, and along nape of neck.
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Colours
Black, White, Yellow
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Maximum Size
115 cm
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Habitats
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Diet
Carnivore
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Diet Categories
Fish, Cephalopods
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Endemicity
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Conservation Statuses
CITES: Not listed, EPBC Act 1999: Not listed, FFG Threatened List: Not listed, IUCN Red List: Near Threatened
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Depths
Shallow (1-30 m)
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Water Column Locations
Surface
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Taxon Name
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Common Name
Emperor Penguin
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Kingdom
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Phylum
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Subphylum
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Class
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Order
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Family
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Genus
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Species Name
forsteri
