# data[].attributes.body
Active Wild

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Penguins don't look much like other birds: they stand up straight like humans and can't fly. They may look clumsy on land but they are extremely good swimmers.

Did you know that penguins have more feathers than any other kind of bird? For more penguin information, including 10 interesting facts about penguins for kids, read on...

Penguin Facts

Penguins are flightless sea birds. Over time, their wings have evolved to be like flippers to help them swim. Penguins have short legs that are set low down on their bodies. This means that they stand upright like humans. Although they are not very graceful on land, penguins are expert swimmers.

Penguins also slide over the snow and ice on their bellies. This uses less energy than walking, and is known as ' tobogganing '. They also do this when entering and leaving the water.

You can see some Adéliepenguins tobogganing in the video below.

Penguins have black backs and white undersides. Surprisingly, this provides them with excellent camouflage when they are in the water (as we'll find out below). Some penguins have additional patches of colour on their heads.

Penguins are shaped like mini torpedoes, with long bodies, short tails, short necks and big heads. They are designed to be fast and maneuverable under water - this is because one of their main foods is fish!

Penguins Questions!

Are Penguins Mammals?

No, penguins are not mammals. It's probably because penguins stand upright and look a little like humans that people sometimes think that! Penguins are birds: they have feathers and lay eggs.

Do Penguins Have Feathers? Why Are They Black And White?

Yes, penguins have feathers all over their bodies to keep them warm and provide camouflage. Their outer feathers are interlocked, and prevent water from getting into the downy feathers near their skin.

The black and white plumage may seem rather conspicuous out of the water, but when penguins are swimming it is a different matter. The white of their undersides hides them against the reflected light and ice on the surface. The darkness of their backs conceals them from above.

Can Penguins Fly?

No, penguins can't fly. Their wings have evolved to be more like flippers. However, if you watch a penguin swimming, you can see that their swimming style looks very like they are flying through the water.

Penguins can propel themselves out of the water at high speeds. It can look as if they are flying out of the water.

Where Do Penguins Live?

Penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere. This means that if you divide the world in two around the equator, all of the penguins are found on the bottom half. Most penguins live near Antarctica, where it is cold. However, some species live near the equator.

Penguins spend roughly half of their lives in the water.

What Do Penguins Eat?

Penguins eat food from the sea such as krill, fish and squid. Emperor penguins have been recorded at depths of 565 metres! Penguins' eyes are adapted for seeing underwater, and they hunt by sight.

Family Life!

Most penguins form large breeding colonies. Male and female penguins stay together for a breeding season (some stay together for life), taking it in turns to incubate the egg or eggss. Emperor and king penguins (the largest varieties of penguins) only lay one egg. Most other species of penguin lay two.

There are at least 17 types of penguin. Amazingly, scientists do not agree over exactly how many penguin species there are. This is because some types of penguin are so similar that some scientists consider them to be the same species of penguin, whereas others think that they are different species!

Here is a brief introduction to each species.

Adélie penguin - one of the smaller types of penguin, you can recognize it by the white rings around its eyes.

African penguin - this type of penguin is found in South Africa. Its belly is not entirely white. It has a black rainbow-shaped strap on their neck. This penguin is also known as a jackass penguin (due to the donkey-like sound of its call) or blackfoot penguin. It makes long burrows to lay its eggs in.

Chinstrap penguin - this penguin is easily recognisable, because it has a black strap under its chin.

Emperor penguin - this is the largest type of penguin, and can grow to be over 1 metre tall. Emperor penguins can't be confused with other species, because of their size. They also have orange cheeks and yellow upper breasts.

Erect-crested penguin - these penguins have a very distinguishable and interesting 'hairstyle'. They have upright yellow plumes that form a crest on thier heads.

Fiordland penguin - this penguin also has a yellow stripe above his eyes, but unlike the erect-crested penguin the feathers are not upright.

Galápagos penguin - this species is only found in the Galapagos Islands. It is the second smallest type of penguin. The Galápagos Penguin is an endangered species

Gentoo penguin - Gentoo penguins have a beautiful white strap on their heads that runs from the one eye to the other.

Humboldt penguin - found in South America, humboldt penguins have a dark strap on their breasts and a white band around the head. These penguins also have pink skin under their jaw.

King penguin - these beautiful birds are the second largest type of penguin. They have orange cheeks and upper breasts.

Little penguin - this is the smallest type of penguin. They grow to an average of 33cm; tiny compared to the metre-tall emperor. Little penguins are found in Southern Australia and New Zealand. The Penguin Foundation charity has been set up to protect these birds.

Macaroni penguins - very similar to the royal penguin, macaroni penguins are one of the six types of penguin to have crests. The name comes from an old English hairstyle, not because they like to eat pasta! Their feather plumes are orange and start from above the eyes, spreading left and right to the back of his head.

Magellanic penguin - lives in South America and the Falkland Islands. They have two dark straps on their breast and have a great area of bare facial skin. Magellanic penguins mate for life (the mother and father birds stay together for all of their lives) and nest in burrows and under bushes.

Rockhopper penguin - there are three types of rockhopper penguins. Rockhopper penguins are the smallest variety of crested penguin, and have red eyes.

Royal penguin - another crested penguin, the royal penguin is similar to the macaroni penguin, but has a white face.

Snares penguin - found on The Snares - islands off New Zealand's South Island, snares penguins have yellow crests.

Yellow-eyed penguin - one of the rarest penguins, with only around 4,000 animals left in the wild. As well as having yellow eyes, this type of penguin is also identified by the yellow strap around its head. Yellow-eyed penguins live in New Zealand.

10 Amazon Facts About Penguins For Kids

1. The largest penguin is the Emperor penguin. It can grow to around 1.1 meters high and can weigh 41 kilograms.

2. The smallest species of penguin, the little penguin, averages only 45cm in length, 33cm in height and weighs around 1 kilogram.

3. The wings of a penguin are called flippers and are shaped like paddles. Flippers help thto propel the birds through the water.

4. Penguins 'toboggan' by sliding on their bellies on the ice. They change direction with their flippers.

5. When on land, penguins also jump using both feet. Rockhopper penguins got their name for doing this, but other species of penguins do it too.

6. Penguins have been reported swimming at speeds of 27 km per hour!

7. Penguins have been reported swimming at speeds can spend about 75% of their lives in the water.

8. Penguins form breeding colonies for safety and warmth. Some types of penguin, such as king, macaroni and chinstrap penguins, form huge colonies of many thousands of birds.

9. Penguins have more feathers than any other type of bird. Outer feathers keep them waterproof, and downy feathers close to the skin keep them warm.

10. Penguins can see clearly under water and hunt by sight.

Penguin activities

The Galápagos Penguin is an endangered species, which means there are not many of them left. Make a poster showing why these (and other) penguins are in danger, and what we can do to help them.

Using a map or a globe (or an internet map like Google Maps), find out where penguins live.

Learn about more endangered animals here.

Love Animals? Join Our Free Newsletter List!

Join the FREE Active Wild Newsletter List. A must for all animal fans. Awesome animal facts and information delivered direct to your inbox. It's absolutely free, you can unsubscribe at any time, and we'll never share information with anyone else. Click here for info: Subscribe to Active Wild.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Information & Ten Awesome Facts About Penguins For Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Penguins don't look much like other birds: they stand up straight like humans and can't fly. They may look clumsy on land but they are extremely good swimmers. Did you know that penguins have more feathers than any other kind of bird? For more penguin information, including 10 interesting facts about penguins for kids, read on...

# data[].attributes.body
Cool Kid Facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Cartoons have been made about them, as well as movies where they've shown off their dancing skills.

Although penguins probably aren't dancing around on the ice, there are still many amazing things they can do!

Keep reading to learn some interesting facts about penguins.

What are the characteristics of a penguin?

Penguins belong to the bird family but they cannot fly. They have black and white feathers that make excellent camouflage, and they have a special layer of feathers which helps to keep them warm.

They spend half of their life on land and the other half swimming in the water, so their wings have changed to act like flippers which makes them great swimmers.

Penguins are known for waddling their feet when they walk, and they also slide on their bellies across the snow. Both of these help them move while saving their energy.

Where do penguins live?

Almost all groups of penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere, which is the bottom half of the Earth. There is one group, the Galápagos penguin, that lives in a different part of the world, but this is not very common.

When we think about penguins, a lot of people usually think they all live in freezing cold climates like Antarctica.

While some penguin specie do live there, most penguins live in warmer areas. Penguins have adapted for life in the water, and they spend a lot of their time in or near the ocean.

Most groups of penguins can be found in Antarctica, Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, and South Africa.

What are the Different Types of Penguin Species?

There are eighteen different kinds of species in Penguin. Each species has unique characteristics, including size, coloration, and behavior.

Some of the penguin species:

The Little Blue Penguin has a blue-grey back and white belly, with slate blue feathering on their head and wings.

Crested Penguins have yellow feather crests on their heads.

Fairy Penguins have blue-grey back and white belly and 16 inches tall, and weigh 1 kg.

Gentoo Penguins have a white belly and a bright orange-red beak.

Galapagos Penguins have a black back and white belly, with a distinctive black band across their chest.

What do penguins eat?

Most penguins eat krill (which is kind of like shrimp), fish, squid, and other types of sea life that they can catch while they swim in the water.

Do penguins have any predators?

Penguins have a few predators and these include sharks, orcas, and leopard seals. Humans used to hunt penguins for their oil and eggs, but because penguins are protected, this is now illegal.

How do penguins protect themselves?

One of the biggest ways that penguins protect themselves is by living in large groups.

Many predators will be less likely to attack if there are a lot of penguins around, and this also helps because there are so many of them keeping lookout.

Another way penguins protect themselves is by their special camouflage on their feathers which is called countershading.

Penguins have black feathers on their backs and white on their fronts, so if a predator is looking up from the water, like an orca or a leopard seal, they will have a hard time seeing the penguin because of the bright water surface.

Finally, penguins are excellent swimmers and can outswim a lot of their predators.

If they get close to land, they can jump out of the water at a high speed and quickly escape the threat.

Explorers first called them "Strange Geese."

The Galapagos penguin first bumped into the explorers who visited the Galapagos Islands in the 16th century. These penguins were mistaken for strange geese as they were unfamiliar with penguins. Later scientists realized that the birds were a penguin species and named them the Galapagos penguin.

Climate change is also a threat to the Galapagos penguin. Sea temperatures can impact penguins' ability to find food, as their prey species may migrate to cooler waters. Efforts are being made to protect the Galapagos penguin.

Penguins don't have teeth.

No, Penguins do not have teeth. They have small spines or barbs on the tongues and the roof of their mouths that help them grip and swallow their prey. Penguins do not chew their food; they use the powerful muscles in their stomachs to break down and digest it. Penguins are expert hunters and can dive to depths of up to 500 feet to catch their prey. Once they catch their prey, penguins use their barbed tongues and mouths to grip and swallow it whole.

Why are penguins called flightless birds?

Penguins are a group of flightless birds that have adapted to life in the water. As penguins cannot fly, they have developed a unique talent that allows them to swim and dive with incredible speed and agility. One of the striking adaptations of penguins is their ability to "fly" underwater. Penguins can swim up to 22 miles per hour and dive to depths over 500 feet. Penguins also have the ability to waterproof feathers that keep them warm and dry while diving.

Emperor Penguins can Hold Their Breath Underwater for an Average of 20 Minutes.

Yes, Emperor penguins can hold their breath underwater for an average of 20 to 27 minutes. Emperor Penguins are the largest species of penguins. This adaption of holding their breath for so long helps them to dive to depths of over 500 meters in search of food. While hunting for food, emperor penguins can swim up to 8 miles per hour using their wings to propel themselves through the water. An Emperor penguin can consume up to 4.4 pounds of food in a single feeding session.

Why are penguins called business goose?

The Chinese word for penguin, 企鹅 (qǐ'é), is made up of two characters: 企 (qǐ) and 鹅 (é). The character 企 (qǐ) means "Business," while 鹅 (é) means "goose." When these two characters are combined, they create a word that literally translates to "business goose." The reason for this translation is unclear, but it is believed that penguins, like geese, stand upright and have long necks. Chinese people use the term 企鹅 (qǐ'é) to refer to penguins without any reference to geese or business.

The Oldest Penguin Fossil

The oldest penguin fossil was discovered in 1982 on Seymour Island, off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The fossil was found by a team of paleontologists led by Dr. Ewan Fordyce from the University of Otago, New Zealand.

The fossil was estimated to be about 61 million years old and belongs to a previously unknown species of penguin known as Waimanu Manneringi. This ancient penguin species was about the size of a modern-day rockhopper penguin, standing about 2.5 feet tall, and had a long beak with teeth, unlike most penguins.

Physical Characteristics of Penguins

Penguins come in various sizes, have black and white coloration, and have a thick layer of feathers to keep them warm. Their wings have evolved into flippers, and they have webbed feet that help them swim. Penguins can hold their breath for extended periods and dive to great depths for food.

Penguins Breeding and Reproduction

Penguin breeding and reproduction involve elaborate mating rituals and nest building. Female penguins typically lay one or two eggs, and both parents take turns incubating eggs and feeding chicks. Chicks grow and eventually grow feathers, leaving the nest to learn how to swim and hunt for food.

Quick Facts

Some More Penguin Facts

Most penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere.

They spend half their life on land and half in the water.

Penguins eat krill, fish, squid, and other sea creatures.

Their biggest predators are sharks, orcas, and leopard seals.

Penguins can swim at speeds of over 20 miles per hour.

Whether you are familiar with penguins from nature shows, or tap-dancing movies, they are popular animals that many people know and love.

Penguins are excellent swimmers and are known for their belly slides and waddles. These fascinating creatures will continue to inspire stories and movies for years to come!

Now, let's explore more animal facts! But before you do, one last thing. Can you name two other animals you might find around the North Pole or South Pole?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
35 Interesting Penguin Facts For Kids [year] [With Pictures]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
35 Interesting Penguin Facts For Kids [With Pictures] Cartoons have been made about them, as well as movies where they've shown off their dancing skills. Although penguins probably aren't dancing around on the ice, there

# data[].attributes.body
10 facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Are you wrapped up warm? We sure hope so - because Nat Geo Kids is off to the icy Antarctic to catch up with our penguin pals! Check out our top ten facts about emperor penguins...
Emperor penguin facts

1. Emperor penguins are truly beautiful birds. Adults have a white stomach and a black head, back, tail and wings. They also have yellowy-gold markings on the side of their head and neck.

2. Emperor penguins are the largest of all the different kinds of penguin. On average they measure 115cm tall - about the height of the average six year old.

(AD)

3. Emperor penguins spend their entire lives in Antarctica - the Earth's southernmost continent - where temperatures can drop to as low as -60°C. Brrrr.

4. To survive in such low temperatures, these brilliant birds have special adaptations - they have large stores of insulating body fat and several layers of scale-like feathers that protect them from icy winds. They also huddle close together in large groups to keep themselves, and each other, warm.

5. Around April every year (the start of the Antarctic winter) emperor penguins meet to breed on the thick Antarctic ice. By the time the female lays her egg (usually around June), she"s worked up a big appetite! She passes the egg to the male before journeying up to 80km to the open ocean where she can feed her hungry tummy on fish, squid and krill.

6. During this time, the males are in charge of keeping the egg safe and warm in the breeding ground. They do this by balancing the egg on their feet and covering it with feathered skin, called a ' brood pouch'. It takes about two months for the eggs to hatch.

7. The females return in July, bringing with them food in their bellies which they regurgitate (or throw up) for the chicks to eat. The females now take over babysitting duty, leaving the males to head to the ocean for their own fishing session.

8. As the youngsters grow, the parents leave them in groups, called ' crèches ', whilst they head to the ocean to fish. Come December, the warmer temperatures break up the ice that the penguins occupy, bringing open waters closer to the nesting site. By this time, the chicks are old enough to swim and fish, and take to the ocean themselves!
Without the warmth of the parents' brood pouches, emperor penguin chicks would die in just a few minutes in the cold of Antarctica.
9. These birds are super swimmers and impressive divers. They can reach depths of over 500m and stay underwater for up to 22 minutes!

10. Sadly, today emperor penguins are considered near threatened and their populations are expected to decline rapidly in years to come. It"s feared that rising temperatures due to global warming will reduce their breeding ground, and overfishing will mean less food for them to eat. The good news is that by looking after our planet, YOU can help protect these amazing animals. Check out our Five Top Conservation Tips for some environment-saving ideas!

Images ⓒ Bernard Breton, Dreamstime

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
10 facts about emperor penguins - National Geographic Kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Ten facts about emperor penguins: learn all about the emperor penguin breeding cycle, where these birds live, what they eat and more...

# data[].attributes.body
Kids Play and Create

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Amazing Penguin Facts for Kids - Kids Play and Create

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Click here for more animal facts Penguins are birds that do not fly. Over millions of years a penguin's wings have evolved and instead of flying they work as flippers to help them swim. There are many different species of penguins. Adelie, African, Chinstrap, Emperor, Erect-crested, Fiordland, Galapagos, Gentoo, Humboldt, King, Little Blue, Macaroni, Magellanic, ...

# data[].attributes.body
Ducksters

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Penguins: Learn about these swimming birds.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn about penguins. They are birds that can’t fly, but boy can swim really fast. Where do they live and what do they eat?

# data[].attributes.body
video- interesting facts

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Interesting facts about penguins for kids - information about penguins - Penguin facts for kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Which penguin swims the fastest? Do penguins have teeth? Why do penguins sneeze? How is penguin poop useful?

smithsonian.com

Penguins seem a bit out of place on land, with their stand-out black jackets and clumsy waddling. But once you see their grace in the water, you know that's where they're meant to be - they are well-adapted to life in the ocean.

April 25 of each year is World Penguin Day, and to celebrate here are 14 facts about these charismatic seabirds.

1. Depending on which scientist you ask, there are 17 -20 species of penguins alive today, all of which live in the southern half of the globe. The most northerly penguins are Galapagos penguins (Spheniscus mendiculus), which occasionally poke their heads north of the equator.

2. While they can't fly through the air with their flippers, many penguin species take to the air when they leap from the water onto the ice. Just before taking flight, they release air bubbles from their feathers. This cuts the drag on their bodies, allowing them to double or triple their swimming speed quickly and launch into the air.

3. Most penguins swim underwater at around four to seven miles per hour (mph), but the fastest penguin-the gentoo (Pygoscelis papua)-can reach top speeds of 22 mph!

4. Penguins don't wear tuxedos to make a fashion statement: it helps them be camouflaged while swimming. From above, their black backs blend into the dark ocean water and, from below, their white bellies match the bright surface lit by sunlight. This helps them avoid predators, such as leopard seals, and hunt for fish unseen.

5. The earliest known penguin fossil was found in 61.6 million-year old Antarctic rock, about 4-5 million years after the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs. Waimanu manneringi stood upright and waddled like modern day penguins, but was likely more awkward in the water. Some fossil penguins were much larger than any penguin living today, reaching 4.5 feet tall!

6. Like other birds, penguins don't have teeth. Instead, they have backward-facing fleshy spines that line the inside of their mouths. These help them guide their fishy meals down their throat.

7. Penguins are carnivores: they feed on fish, squid, crabs, krill and other seafood they catch while swimming.During the summer, an active, medium-sized penguin will eat about 2 pounds of food each day, but in the winter they'll eat just a third of that.

8. Eating so much seafood means drinking a lot of saltwater, but penguins have a way to remove it. The supraorbital gland, located just above their eye, filters salt from their bloodstream, which is then excreted through the bill-or by sneezing! But this doesn't mean they chug seawater to quenchtheir thirst: penguins drink meltwater from pools and streams and eat snow for their hydration fix.

9. Another adaptive gland-the oil (also called preen) gland-produces waterproofing oil. Penguins spread this across their feathers to insulate their bodies and reduce friction when they glide through the water.

10. Once a year, penguins experience a catastrophic molt. (Yes, that's the official term.) Most birds molt (lose feathers and regrow them) a few at a time throughout the year, but penguins lose them all at once. They can't swim and fish without feathers, so they fatten themselves up beforehand to survive the 2 - 3 weeks it takes to replace them.

11. Feathers are quite important to penguins living around Antarctica during the winter. Emperor penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) have the highest feather density of any bird, at 100 feathers per square inch. In fact, the surface feathers can get even colder than the surrounding air, helping to keep the penguin's body stays warm.

12. All but two penguin species breed in large colonies for protection, ranging from 200 to hundreds of thousands of birds. (There's safety in numbers!) But living in such tight living quarters leads to an abundance of penguin poop- so much that it stains the ice! The upside is that scientists can locate colonies from space just by looking for dark ice patches.
Learn more about the ocean from the Smithsonian's Ocean Portal.
13. Climate change will likely affect different penguin species differently-but in the Antarctic, it appears that the loss of krill, a primary food source, is the main problem. In some areas with sea ice melt, krill density has decreased 80 percent since the 1970s, indirectly harming penguin populations. However, some colonies of Adelie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) have grown as the melting ice exposes more rocky nesting areas.

14. Of the 17 penguin species, the most endangered is New Zealand's yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes): only around 4,000 birds survive in the wild today. But other species are in trouble, including the erect-crested penguin (Eudyptes sclateri) of New Zealand, which has lost approximately 70 percent of its population over the past 20 years, and the Galapagos penguin, which has lost more than 50 percent since the 1970s.

Like this article?
SIGN UP for our newsletter

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Which penguin swims the fastest? Do penguins have teeth? Why do penguins sneeze? How is penguin poop useful?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fun penguin facts for kids including photos and printable activity worksheets; suitable for Kindergarten through Grade 6.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Recently, the mysterious appearance of a mandarin duck alongside the native mallards in ponds across Central Park has captivated New York City, with large groups lining up to catch a glimpse (and snap a photo) of the brightly colored bird. It's unclear where he came from-though he has a band on his leg, he doesn't belong to any zoos in the area, which has led some to speculate that he was a pet who either escaped or was dumped by his owner in the park-but one thing is clear. This " hot duck" is taking the internet by storm. Curious about where the mandarin duck is from, what it eats, if you can keep one as a pet, and even what it tastes like? Read on.

1. ITS NAME MEANS "WIGGED DIVING BIRD."

Dubbed Aix galericulata by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, the Aix in the mandarin duck's scientific name is Greek for an unknown diving bird mentioned by Aristotle. The galericulata is something like " wig" or " cap" and references the bright breeding plumage on the male's head.

2. IT'S NOT AS EXOTIC AS YOU MIGHT THINK.

The native breeding area of the mandarin duck is eastern Siberia, Japan, China, and parts of North Korea, and they overwinter in southern China and Japan. But according to the citizen science website eBird, mandarin ducks have been spotted in multiple sites on the west coast of America-there's a growing population of the birds in California-and are present in Florida and a few other isolated areas. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission notes that "Species are present but not confirmed to be breeding. Population persists only with repeated introductions and/or escapes of individuals."

They're much more common in Europe, especially southeast England, which has an estimated population of around 7000 individuals. The ducks were mostly released in the early 20th century, although there are records of introductions as early as 1745 [PDF]. They've also been found in other parts of Europe, Israel, and Africa (although, as in Florida, some of these populations are escaped ornamental birds that aren't necessarily breeding on their own [ PDF]).

3. MANDARIN DUCKS AREN'T DOING WELL IN THEIR NATIVE TERRITORY.

Sadly, they're threatened by severe habitat loss across their native range and have a global population of around 65,000 individuals. As a result, the European population is often considered important for the species survival. Officially, however, the bird is classed as "Least Concern" by the IUCN.

4. IT HAS DEEP MEANING IN MANY EAST ASIAN CULTURES.

It's thought that the first reference to mandarin ducks was from the time of Confucius, where they were name-dropped in a song. They're also significant in Buddhism, where there are references to their compassion and, most significantly, their marital loyalty. Multiple legends in Japan refer to a male and female mandarin duck getting separated and using supernatural means (such as transforming into humans) to be reunited.

5. THEY HAVE AN AMERICAN COUSIN.

Mandarin ducks belong to the genus Aix, alongside the American wood duck. They're both hole-nesting ducks with brightly colored males. But perhaps most surprisingly for ducks, they have claws. The claws allow them to perch on branches, and in the case of baby mandarin ducks, one paper says that when they're as young as one day old, they can dig those claws into wood, then leap half a foot, and then dig in the other claw [ PDF].

6. MALE AND FEMALE MANDARIN DUCKS LOOK A LOT DIFFERENT.

The male mandarin duck is extremely easy to identify. Considered one of the prettiest birds, it has orange, green, white, blue-ish, and black feathers, some of which curl up into a "sail" shape. (However, in eclipse plumage-a set of feathers sported by the ducks when it's not the mating season-the male is a much more standard gray.)

Female mandarin ducks are nowhere near as distinctive, and it can often be difficult to distinguish them from the closely related native female wood ducks (the males look completely different) [ PDF]. Female mandarin ducks are gray but have a pale tip at the bill and a stripe behind the eye.

7. THEY HAVE ELABORATE COURTSHIP RITUALS.

Mandarin duck courtship rituals are, as is probably expected from their plumage, impressive affairs. They mock drink and mock preen, they shake, and emit a sound that one researcher likened to "a half-repressed sneeze." Most of the rest of the time they're rarely vocal, with the occasional "staccato hwick or uib uib" from the male and a "coquette call" from the female.

As for their famous monogamy, it's thought to derive from observations of their frequent courtship displays and frequent ejection of intruders. In reality, they likely are monogamous for at least several years, although bigamy/polygamy is not unheard of.

8. THE YOUNG LEAP OUT OF TREES.

The natural nesting habitat of mandarin ducks is in tree holes, which can sometimes be up to 30 feet off the ground. The bird lays nine to 12 white eggs that are incubated for around a month. When the eggs hatch (which occurs within a few hours of each other), the ducklings start to crawl out of the nest. To get out of the tree and-eventually-into the water, the baby bird flings itself out of the hole and free-falls to the ground below (often with a little bounce). According to mandarin duck scholar Christopher Lever, "The female stands at the base of the tree with her head pointing upwards, uttering a soft encouraging call to her offspring."

9. IT'S NOT VERY TASTY.

It's widely said that one of the factors that has allowed mandarin ducks to survive in east Asia is their taste-which is not particularly nice. Christopher Lever quotes an authority as saying, "Mandarin duck in China are rather dirty feeders, often eating snails, small mice, fish spawn, etc., and consequently are well known to have an unpleasant taste."

10. MANDARIN DUCKS CAN HELP YOUR FENG SHUI.

Feng Shui is a traditional Chinese method of balancing energy forces, and a large part of some schools involves placing certain objects to match and harness that energy. Many modern Feng Shui practitioners claim that, because of their association with love and monogamy, having a pair of mandarin duck figurines can attract and enhance love. Practitioners advise placing the figurines so they either face each other or the same direction. Never separate them, and if one breaks, the entire pair should be replaced.

11. YOU CAN BUY ONE.

Mandarin ducks are very popular pets; in fact, according to one report from the Netherlands, they're "by far the most popular duck kept in private collections" in that region [ PDF]. They're considered easy to keep, but just because you can buy one doesn't mean it's legal to have one: In New York, for instance, it's illegal to keep a duck as a pet (alongside bears, cobras, whales, and many other creatures).

12. IT MIGHT POSE A THREAT TO NATIVE SPECIES.

Paul Sweet, ornithologist at the American Museum of Natural History, tweeted that it was possible that mandarin ducks could become established and compete with native wood ducks. Little research has been done on mandarin ducks in the United States, but a recent report from the Netherlands suggests that there might be cause for concern [ PDF]. There is some evidence that they destroy the eggs of other birds in a lab setting, although the extent of this behavior in the wild is unclear. They're also known to drive other birds away from food-although again, their impact is unknown. As for hybridizing, there's a myth that they can't reproduce with other birds. While crosses with other ducks are rare for mandarins, there have been reports in Europe of birds appearing that seem to be mixes of introduced mandarin ducks and introduced American wood ducks.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Test your knowledge with amazing and interesting facts, trivia, quizzes, and brain teaser games on MentalFloss.com.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Emperor penguins spend their entire lives on Antarctic ice and in its waters. They survive-breeding, raising young, and eating-by relying on a number of clever adaptations.

These flightless birds breed in the winter. After a courtship of several weeks, a female emperor penguin lays one single egg then leaves! Each penguin egg's father balances it on his feet and covers it with his brood pouch, a very warm layer of feathered skin designed to keep the egg cozy. There the males stand, for about 65 days, through icy temperatures, cruel winds, and blinding storms.

Finally, after about two months, the females return from the sea, bringing food they regurgitate, or bring up, to feed the now hatched chicks. The males eagerly leave for their own fishing session at sea, and the mothers take over care of the chicks for a while.

As the young penguins grow, adults leave them in groups of chicks called crèches while they leave to fish. There is a reason for the timing of emperor penguins' hatching. By December, when the Antarctic weather has warmed somewhat, the ice the penguins occupy begins to break up, bringing open waters closer to the nesting sites. Now the chicks are old enough to take to the seas and fish for their own food.

Check out the book Penguins vs. Puffins for more about these amazing birds!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Emperor penguins spend their entire lives on Antarctic ice and in its waters. They survive-breeding, raising young, and eating-by relying on a number of clever adaptations. These flightless birds breed in the winter. After a courtship of several weeks, a female emperor penguin lays one single egg then leaves!