5 Fascinating Penguin Facts You Didn’t Know

Penguins are adorable birds with a seemingly clumsy nature that has melted the hearts of both children and adults. These lovable creatures are loyal and family-oriented, which just adds to the growing list of reasons why people love them so much. Fall in love with penguins even more with these penguin facts!

 

1. There Are No Penguins At The North Pole

Penguin Colony in Antartica

Photo Credit: pexels.com

Contrary to popular belief, penguins don’t live at the North Pole, and not all of them are found in Antartica. There are 18 different penguin species, but all of them are found almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. Although, Galápagos penguins are sometimes spotted north of the equator.

 

2. Penguins Come In All Sizes

Little Blue Penguins

Little Blue Penguins (Photo Credit: kiwiclanger // Flickr)

Many people often think penguins are about the size of a toddler, but penguins come in many different sizes. The largest penguin species, the emperor penguin, stands about 4 feet tall. On the other hand, the smallest species is the blue penguin, coming in at 33cm – that’s about the size of a footlong Subway!

 

3. Penguins Are Aerodynamic

Penguins Diving

Photo Credit: nationalgeographic.com

Penguins are flightless birds that seem clumsy when they waddle on land, but they’re spectacular at swimming. Instead of wings, these seabirds have flippers, which propel them further below the water’s surface. The emperor penguin can dive as deep as 450 metres! Their aerodynamic shape also helps reduce drag and makes it easy for them to glide through the water effortlessly. They may not be able to soar through the skies, but they can definitely  “fly” through the water.

 

4. More Than Just Black & White

Eudyptes, Crested Penguin

Photo Credit: wikipedia.com

A penguin’s contrasting black and white coat may stand out, but it actually helps them camouflage when they’re in the water. Their black backs blend into the depths of the ocean from the top, while their white underside is hidden against the bright surface from the bottom. However, not all penguins are completely black and white, the southern rockhopper penguin has striking yellow eyebrows!

 

5. Penguins Care For Their Young

Baby Penguin

Photo Credit: pexels.com

For many animals, the male often leaves the female after mating, but penguins are loyal family creatures. In some penguin species, the males are the ones that incubate the egg while the female goes off to hunt for food. Additionally, male and female penguins usually pair up exclusively for the rest of their lives – such lovebirds!

Owls: 7 Facts About These Mysterious Nocturnal Creatures

Creatures shrouded in sheer mystery, owls may be cute and cuddly but don’t let their looks fool you. As not all owls are friendly or created equally, their temperaments and behaviour can be rather eccentric.

Just how you ask? Let our factual snippets on these birds unravel the unfamiliar and peculiar.

Owls Can Rotate Their Heads Nearly All Around – To Some Degree 

An Owl turning its head rather peculiarly

Image Credit: Daily Express

You probably have heard that owls can rotate their heads 360 degrees but this is in fact a myth. Owls can only turn their necks 135 degrees in either direction, giving them 270 degrees of full body movement. What gives these nocturnal creatures such a useful trait? Scientists have pinpointed that down to their unique make-up of bone structure, blood vessels with contractile reservoirs and a reinforced vascular system. This allows them to turn their heads to such varying degrees without stopping the supply of blood.

They Possess A Heightened Sense Of Hearing

An owl hunting its prey

Image Credit: New Scientist

Capable of noticing prey under environmental layers such as dirt, plants, leaves and snow, owls have various hearing receptacles at differing heights on their heads that allow them to pinpoint prey based on minute differences in sound waves. What of owls with flat faces? They possess unique feathers that are sound focused, basically turning their faces into one large ear!

Owls Prey On Each Other Sometimes

An owl hunting another owl

Image Credit: Jongsun Lee, Unsplash

Compared to their smaller frame, owls often eat prey significantly larger than themselves or rather their own kind. Take the eagle owl for instance as they have been known to even target small deers! Or the great horned owl that enjoys attacking the barred owl which in turn preys on the Western screech-owl. This owl-on-owl predation cycle is one of the reasons why the Western screech-owl population is at an all-time low.

Their Markings Allow Them To Blend In Seamlessly Into The Environment

Owls are masters of camouflage

Image Credit: Instant Shift

Have you ever seen an owl sleeping in broad daylight? Chances are that you’ll find this feat especially difficult as they have mastered the art of camouflaging to a tee. Take the African Scops Owl for example. You’ll need to look twice to notice its hidden visage amidst the surroundings.

You Won’t Want To Be Around When They Start Hissing

A barn owl in flight

Image Credit: The Ecologist

No we’re not talking about hooting, owls can also make a range of unique calls such as screeches, whistles and squeaks. Case in point? The barn owl when threatened often make hissing noises that will make the hairs on your back stand up. Truly the stuff of nightmares.

Owls Are Nature’s Answer To Pest Control

An owl on the prowl, hunting its prey

Image Credit: Victor Benard

A boon for farmers the world over, owls help keep the rodent population in check with sheer efficiency. Although masked in a small frame, a single barn owl family can eat up to 3000 rodents in just the space of four months! Many farmers practice the art of installing owl nesting boxes to attract owls to help keep out voles and gophers from their precious crops.

A single owl can consume 20 plus kilos of gophers in a just one year.

We Get Along With Them Rather Well 

Two owls at an owl cafe

Image Credit: Emiichan Blog

Since ancient times, owls have remain ever popular with humans. Showing up in 30,000 year old cave paintings in France and Egyptian hieroglyphs, Falconers have also been known to use owls during the Middle Ages. Although they are illegal to be kept as pets in many countries, their popularity remains on the rise. In Japan, it’s not uncommon to stumble upon owl cafes, where you can take pictures and even pet these furry birds!