PROPOSING PENGUIN

The number of extant penguin species is debated. Depending on which authority is followed, penguin biodiversity varies between 17 and 20 living species, all in the subfamily Spheniscinae.

GENUS - Aptenodytes 

Two extant species of penguins collectively known as "the great penguins".

EMPEROR PENGUIN

  Range : Circumpolar distribution in the Antarctic between the 66° and 77° S.

  Appearance :  

• The tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species.
• The adult has deep black dorsal feathers, covering the head, chin, throat, back, dorsal part of the flippers, and tail. 
• The underparts of the wings and belly are white, becoming pale yellow in the upper breast, ear patches are bright yellow.
• The upper mandible is black, and the lower mandible can be pink, orange or lilac. 

KING PENGUIN

  Range : The subantarctic islands between 45° and 55° S at the northern reaches of Antarctica, as well as Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands, and other temperate islands of the region.

  Appearance : 

• The second largest species of penguin.
• The upper parts are steel blue-grey, darkening to black on the head, the belly is white fading to orange on the upper breast with bright orange ear patches. 
• The black bill is long and slender. 
• The lower mandible bears a striking pink or orange-coloured mandibular plate.
  

 GENUS - Pygoscelis

Three living species of penguins collectively known as "brush-tailed penguins". 

ADELIE PENGUIN

  Range : Antartica 

  Appearance :

• The white ring surrounding the eye and the feathers at the base of the bill.
• These long feathers hide most of the red bill.
• The tail is a little longer than other penguins' tails.
• They are a little smaller than most other penguin species.
  

   Range : Antarctica, Argentina, Bouvet Island, Chile, the Falkland Islands, the French Southern Territories, and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands  

   Appearance : 

• The face is white extending behind the eyes, which are reddish brown.
• The chin and throat are white, as well, while the short bill is black.
• The inner sides of the flippers are white. 
  
• The strong legs and the webbed feet are pink.

GENTOO PENGUIN

  Range : Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and Kerguelen Islands

  Appearance :  

• The wide white stripe extending like a bonnet across the top of its head.
• Its bright orange-red bill. 
• It has pale whitish-pink webbed feet and a fairly long tail. 
  

  Special character : These penguins live on rocky shores and prize these small stones to build their nests during mating season. During courtship, a male penguin will find the smoothest pebble to give to a female as a gift. If she likes the offering, she’ll place it in the nest and the two will continue building up their little pebble mound in preparation for the eggs.

GENUS - Eudyptula

Two species of penguin - Little penguins.

LITTLE PENGUIN

  Range : New Zealand, Chatham Islands

  Appearance :   

•  The head and upper parts are blue in colour, with slate-grey ear coverts fading to white underneath, from the chin to the belly. 
• Their flippers are blue in colour

AUSTRALIAN LITTLE PENGUIN

  Common name : fairy penguin

  Range : Southern Australia, Otago.

GENUS - Spheniscus

Four living species of penguins known as banded penguins, and all have similar coloration. They are sometimes also known as "jack-ass penguins" due to their loud locator calls sounding similar to a donkey braying. 

 Appearance : 

• Band of black that runs around their bodies bordering their black dorsal coloring.
• Black beaks with a small vertical white band.
• Distinct spots on their bellies. 
• A small patch of unfeathered or thinly feathered skin around their eyes. 
• Underdeveloped fluff sack that can be either white or pink.
  

MEGALLANIC PENGUIN

  Range : Brazil, coastal Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands.

HUMBOLDT PENGUIN

  Range : Coastal Chile and Peru.

GALAPAGOS PENGUIN

  Range : Galápagos Islands.

AFRICAN PENGUIN

   Range : 24 islands and 3 mainland locations between Namibia and Algoa Bay, near Port Elizabeth, South Africa. 

GENUS - Megadyptes

Two species. One is extinct that is Waitaha penguin(Megadyptes waitaha)

YELLOW-EYED PENGUIN

  Range : New zealand

  Appearance : 

• The band of pale yellow feathers surrounding its eyes and encircling the back of its head.
• Its forehead, crown and the sides of its face are slate grey flecked with golden yellow.
• Its eye is yellow.
• The foreneck and sides of the head are light brown.
• The back and tail are slate blue-black.
•  Its chest, stomach, thighs and the underside of its flippers are white in colour.
  

GENUS - Eudyptes

Seven species and one is extinct that is Chatham penguin  (Eudyptes warhami) 

  Appearance :  

• All are black and white penguins with yellow crests, red bills and eyes, and are found on Subantarctic islands in the world's southern oceans.
• All lay two eggs, but raise only one young per breeding season.
• The first egg laid is substantially smaller than the second.

FIORDLAND PENGUIN 

  Range : South-western coasts of New Zealand's South Island as well as on Stewart Island/Rakiura and its outlying islands.

 SNARES PENGUIN

  Range :  North East Island, Broughton Island as well as the rocky Western Chain of New Zealand.

ERECT-CRESTED PENGUIN

  Range : Bounty and Antipodes Islands of NewZealand.

SOUTHERN ROCKHOPPER PENGUIN

  Range : Subantarctic waters of the western Pacific and Indian Oceans, as well as around the southern coasts of South America.

NORTHERN ROCKHOPPER PENGUIN

  Range : Tristan da Cunha and Gough Island in the south Atlantic Ocean. Breeding colonies are also found on the French Southern and Antarctic Lands of Amsterdam Island and St Paul Island.

ROYAL PENGUIN

  Range : Sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island and adjacent islands.

MACARONI PENGUIN

  Range : Subantarctic to the Antarctic Peninsula.