How do penguins stay warm?
Penguins have a layer of down feathers, or small, soft feathers, under their bigger feathers. The down feathers trap air between them and the skin of the penguins. If you ever look up close at a penguins feathers, you can see that they overlap each other, kind of like shingles on the roof of your house. This keeps the penguins from getting wet. Emperor Penguins have a large amount of blubber under their skin as well, this keeps their body heat from escaping as fast as yours and mine would in that type of climate. Always keep in mind that the larger the penguin, the colder the area is where it lives.
THe way a penguin Swims
Penguins don't swim like a fish or even a frog, they have their own unique way of doing it. It is said that penguins "fly under the water", and it seems to be true. Penguins have straight bodies and webbed feet, but the most important part of their bodies that they need for swimming is their oar shaped wings. Thanks to these wings, penguins can shoot through the water at speeds of up to 15 miles per hour!! They also use those little feet to steer themselves into whatever direction they would like to go.
How they dive & how they get rid of salt
When you think of birds you usually think about how small and light weight they are. That is a result of their bone mass. Most birds have hollow bones so they can fly better. Penguins are different. Penguins have heavy solid bones for diving. This makes them heavier and it is easier for them to catch their prey.
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Under a penguins skin, right by their eye, penguins have a small diamond shaped gland that filters extra salt from the ocean. As the salt builds up, it begins to drip down the beak.
You will hear them make a sneezing sound, but all they are doing is removing the salt from their beak and body. |