What are the morphological characteristics of emperor penguins? Why are emperor penguins birds?

Penguins can live and reproduce in cold climates. They feed on marine zooplankton, mainly Antarctic krill, and sometimes also prey on brachiopods, squid and small fish. Penguins have a good appetite, and each penguin can eat an average of 0.75 kg of food per day. Therefore, penguins play an important role in the food chain of the Southern Ocean as predators. After learning so much knowledge, let's take a look at the morphological characteristics of emperor penguins.

Contents of this article

1. Morphological characteristics of emperor penguins

2. Why are emperor penguins birds?

3. How many mates do emperor penguins have in their lifetime?

Morphological characteristics of emperor penguins

Emperor penguins, also known as emperor penguins, are the largest species in the penguin family. They are generally over 90 cm tall, up to 120 cm tall, and can weigh up to 50 kg. Their morphological characteristics are a patch of orange-yellow feathers under their necks, which gradually fade downwards and are darkest behind their ears. Their entire body is harmoniously colored. Their necks are light yellow, their ear feathers are bright yellow-orange, their abdomens are milky white, their backs and flippers are black, and the bottom of their beaks is bright orange. Emperor penguins breed on the ice during the harsh winters of Antarctica. Female penguins lay one egg each time, and male penguins incubate the eggs. There is a pouch of purple skin covered with blood vessels between the male emperor penguins' legs and the lower abdomen, which keeps the eggs at a comfortable 36 degrees Celsius in ambient temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius.

Why are emperor penguins birds?

Penguins are warm-blooded animals, and there are only two types of warm-blooded animals: birds and mammals. Penguins lay eggs and do not breastfeed (male penguins are responsible for hatching and feeding), so they are not mammals, but can only be birds. Penguins are typical seabirds. Although they cannot fly, their swimming skills are superb among birds.

penguin:

Penguins are one of the oldest swimming birds, belonging to the order Sphenisciformes, family Spheniscidae, and are known as the "ships of the ocean". Penguins may have settled in Antarctica before the Earth was covered with ice. There are 18 species of penguins in the world, most of which are distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. Penguins can live and reproduce in cold climates, and feed on marine plankton, mainly Antarctic krill, and sometimes also prey on some brachiopods, squid and small fish. Penguins have a good appetite, and each penguin can eat an average of 0.75 kilograms of food per day. Therefore, penguins play an important role in the food chain of the Southern Ocean as predators. Penguins prey on about 33.17 million tons of krill in Antarctica, accounting for 90% of the total consumption of Antarctic birds, which is equivalent to half of the krill preyed by whales.

How many mates do emperor penguins have in their lifetime?

Emperor penguins have one spouse for their entire lives. Every year when they return to land, they must find their own fixed partner to reproduce. Emperor penguins are monogamous every time they mate. Unlike the mainstream animal kingdom, which is purely physiologically driven, they value emotional communication more, because only by finding a partner who is in step with them, has a harmonious rhythm, and can understand their singing and body language, can they go through the difficult parenting period together. They are much like the Chinese love idol: the water bird "Jiujiu". The "Jiujiu chirping on the river island, "The graceful lady, the gentleman is a good match"" in the "Book of Songs" has been recited for thousands of years. It starts with the Jiujiu and praises the longing love between men and women. It is precisely because the Jiujiu, a water bird, is also a model of harmonious partners. Before they can get together, they have to go through a long, mutually understanding dance like the emperor penguin.