Jean Pennycook

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Adelie Penguin Adaptations
Jean Pennycook penguinscience.com
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The ancestors of Adélie and Emperor penguins
lived in areas of temperate climate (like
California is now). When Adelie (and Emperor)
Penguins adapted to the harsh conditions of the
Antarctic they were able to live where there were
far fewer predators and less competition for food
from other birds than there was in warmer
environments. However, the harsh environment
requires all their energy just to survive. How
do they do it?
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• Wings swimming
• Feet walking, tobogganing
• Feathers keeping warm
• Mouth catching prey

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Wings Penguin wings might remind you more of a
dolphins flipper and yet dolphins are mammals
and penguins are birds. Dolphins use their tail,
but penguins use their wings (flippers) to propel
themselves through the water using little energy.
It has been said that penguins fly through the
water because the movement of their wings is
similar to the wing movements of birds flying in
the air. However, unlike air-flying birds,
penguins gain power on both the up stroke and
down stroke of their wings when they are
swimming.
Being powerful swimmers is one of the adaptation
for this environment because the only food
available is in the ocean. There are no land
organisms in Antarctica for penguins to eat.
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Penguin bones in the wing are flat, solid and
very strong. Here you can see the wrist and
finger bones. Wing bones in birds that fly are
round and hollow. This adaptation means their
flipper will be flat for better movement through
the water and strong for powerful strokes.
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Penguin Body Form The penguin body shape has been
described as the most hydrodynamic form
possible. Scientist have used the penguin form to
design underwater vehicles, torpedoes and
submarines. For penguins such a shape allows them
to swim fast if they need to and over long
distances using the least amount of energy.
All of the food for these birds is in the ocean.
Being a powerful swimmer is an important
adaptation for these birds.
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Penguins do not paddle along the surface like a
duck and unlike a duck, penguin feet are used
only to steer. In the picture below you can see
the motion of the penguin as it launches from the
water to take a breath of air.
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Click on the image to see the video of penguins
swimming
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Feet Penguin feet are strong with long nails for
climbing over ice and rock. Many people think
they have short legs but as you can see from the
skeleton their legs are long and strong.
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Click the picture to see Adelie Penguins walking
on the ice
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Another form of movement along the ice is
tobogganing. Here they slide on their bellies and
push with their feet and legs.
Click the picture to watch the video
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Feathers Adelie penguin feathers appear black.
But they actually have small blue tips. Adelie
penguin coloration helps them survive. The black
color of their backs absorb the suns energy when
they are on the ice and when they are in the
water the white bellies make them hard to see by
predators and prey below them.
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The feathers have a hard shell that overlays
other feathers to keep the penguin dry in the
water. At the base of the feather is a tuff of
down that hold air against their bodies to keep
them warm.
Underneath the skin penguins have a insulating
layer of fat to keep them warm not only in the
water, but also when they are on the ice.
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The only place not covered with feathers on the
Adelie Penguin is the brood patch. Just big
enough for 2 eggs this is where the eggs incubate
against the warm body of the penguin.
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Mouth, Beaks
Adelie penguin beaks and mouth are highly
adapted to catching their prey krill, small fish
and squid. Their beaks are short and strong and
their tongues have soft projections on them to
keep the prey from getting away. Notice also the
small hook at the end of the beak to help catch
and hold the prey while the penguin is swimming.
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As you can see Adelie Penguins are suited for the
harsh environment they live in. They cannot fly
but they have adapted special features that allow
them to not only survive, but thrive in the
coldest place on Earth. To learn more about
Adelie Penguins go to www.penguinscience.com
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Other Powerpoint presentations for you
classroom Introduction to the Polar regions, Why
is Antarctica so cold? Introduction to Adelie
Penguins, Adelie Penguins march into the
classroom Penguin Adaptations, This is a harsh
continent Adelie Penguin Behavior, Good manners
are always in style Penguin Predation and
Competition, Life is tough for an Adelie
Penguin Adelie Penguins Cope with Global Climate
Change Did You Know, How researchers know what
they know Penguin Quandaries, Can you answer
these mysteries Fun pictures about Adelie Penguin
Go to www.penguinscience.com The education
page.