Penguins are a group of flightless aquatic birds, that have a unique countertide appearance, found exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. There are approximately 18 species of penguins known which may look similar but do vary in length as well as weight. Each of these species is listed below.
Penguins – Height & Weight Of Every Species
Penguins vary in length as well as in weight from species to species. On average, the length of the specie measure from 15 to 45 inches whereas the weight measure around 2 to 88 pounds. The 18 species of penguins with varying sizes are enlisted here:
Species | Scientific Name | Geography | Length | Weight | Population | Life Span | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Emperor Penguin | Aptenodytes forsteri | Antarctic Mainland | 45 inches or 115 cm | 77 to 88 pounds or 25 to 40 kg | 120,000 breeding pairs | 20 to 40 years | Least concern |
King Penguin | Aptenodytes patagonicus | Sub Antarctic islands, Tierra del Fuego and Falkland Islands | 35 to 37 inches or 90 to 95 cm | 30 to 35 pounds and 13 to 16 kg | 1.6 million breeding pairs | 13 to 15 years | Least Concern |
Gentoo Penguin | Pygoscelis papua | Falkland Islands, South Georgia and Chile | 29 to 35 inches or 75 to 90 cm | 11 to 18 pounds or 5 to 8 kg | 400,000 breeding pairs | 12 to 15 years | Near Threatened |
Royal Penguin | Eudyptes schlegeli | Macquarie and Campbell Islands and south of New Zealand | 26 to 30 inches or 65 to 75 cm | 13 to 18 pounds or 6 to 8 kg | 850,000 breeding pairs | 15 to 20 years | Vulnerable |
Yellow-Eyed Penguin | Megadyptes antipodes | New Zealand, Stewart Island, South Island Foveaux Strait, | 2 to 30 inches or 65 to 75 cm | 11 to 13 pounds or 5 to 6 kg | 1,700 breeding pairs | 12 to 20 years | Endangered |
Adelie Penguin | Pygoscelis adeliae | Mainland of Antarctica | 24 to 28 inches or 60 to 70 cm | 8.75 to 12 pounds or 4 to 5 kg | 2.4 million breeding pairs | 15 to 20 years | Least Concern |
Fiordland Penguin | Eudyptes pachyrhynchus | New Zealand | 24 to 28 inches or 60 to 71 cm | 4.5 to 13.1 pounds or 2.5 to 6 kg | 1,500 to 5,000 breeding pairs | 10 to 15 years | Vulnerable |
Magellanic Penguin | Spheniscus magellanicus | Coastal Argentina, Falkland Islands, Chile and southern Brazil | 24 to 30 inches or 61 to 76 cm | 8 to 14 pounds or 4 to 6 kg | 1.5 million breeding pairs | 15 to 20 years | Near Threatened |
Macaroni Penguin | Eudyptes chrysolophus | Antarctic islands, Atlantic and Indian oceans, Peninsula, Chile and Argentina | 28 inches or 70 cm | 7 to 14 pounds or 3.2 to 6.4 kg | 9 million breeding pairs | 11.4 years | Vulnerable |
African Penguin | Spheniscus demersus | South Africa | 27 inches or 69 cm | 7 to 11 pounds or 2.5 to 4 kg | 15,000 breeding pairs | 20 years | Endangered |
Humboldt Penguin | Spheniscus humboldti | Coastal regions of Chile and Peru | 26 to 28 inches or 65 to 70 cm | 9 to 11 pounds or 4 to 5 kg | 16,000 breeding pairs | 12 to 15 years | Vulnerable |
Chinstrap Penguin | Pygoscelis antarcticus | Antarctic Peninsula, sub-Antarctic Region, South Sandwich Islands, South Georgia, Balleny Islands | 27 to 28 inches or 68 to 72 cm | 9 to 14 pounds or 3.5 to 5 kg | 4 million breeding pairs | 15 to 20 years | Least Concern |
Northern Rockhopper Penguin | Eudyptes moseleyi | sub-Antarctic regions, Saint Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Ascension Island | 22 inches or 57 cm | 7 to 10 pounds or 3 to 4.3 kg | 190,000-230,000 breeding pairs | 9 to 12 years | Endangered |
Southern Rockhopper Penguin | Eudyptes chrysocome | Macquarie Island, Campbell Island, the Falklands, and the Antipodes | 21inches or 55 cm | 5 to 8 pounds or 2.2 to 3.5 kg | 1.2 million breeding pairs | 11.5 years | Vulnerable |
Galapagos Penguin | Spheniscus mendiculus | Fernandina Island and west coast of Isabela Island and Galapagos archipelago island | 16 to 19 inches or 40 to 50 cm | 4.5 to 5.5 pounds or 2.2 to 5 kg | 600 breeding pairs | 12 to 15 years | Endangered |
Little Penguin | Eudyptula minor | Chatham Islands, New Zealand, Tasmania, and southern Australia | 14 to 16 inches or 35 to 40 cm | 2.25 pounds or 1 kg | 250,000 breeding pairs | 6 to 10 years | Least Concern |
Snares Penguin | Eudyptes robustus | New Zealand | 20 to 24 inches or 50 to 60 cm | 6 to 9 pounds or 2.5 to 4 kg | 32,000 breeding pairs | 12 to 20 years | Vulnerable |
Erect-Crested Penguin | Eudyptes sclateri | Australia, Southern Ocean, New Zealand | 20 to 28 inches or 50 to 70 cm | 5.5 to 13.2 pounds or 2.5 to 6 kg | 68,000 breeding pairs | 12 years | Endangered |
Final Verdict
There are approximately 18 species of penguins are known, which varies greatly in size. Among all, the Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest species whereas the Little penguins are considered the smallest ones. The size of the penguins matters a lot because it helps them to stay for a long period under the water and to take e deep dives when chasing prey.