African Penguin
Spheniscus demersus
The African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is a rare penguin found in 2 countries, weighing about 3.1 kg. The African penguin, also known as Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters.
About the African Penguin
The African penguin, also known as Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters. It is the only penguin found in the Old World. Like all penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat. Adults weigh an average of 2.2–3.5 kg (4.9–7.7 lb) and are 60–70 cm (24–28 in) tall. The species has distinctive pink patches of skin above the eyes and a black facial mask. The body's upper parts are black and sharply delineated from the white underparts, which are spotted and marked with a black band.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
African penguins grow to 60–70 cm (24–28 in) tall and weigh between 2.2–3.5 kg (4.9–7.7 lb). The beak length of the African penguin varies, usually growing between 4.8–6.5 cm (1.9–2.6 in). They have a black stripe and black spots on the chest, the pattern of which is unique to each penguin, like human fingerprints. The sweat glands above the eyes cool the birds' blood and as the temperature rises, increased blood flow causes the glands to get pinker. This species exhibits slight sexual dimorphism; the males are slightly larger than the females and have longer beaks.
Where it lives
When to see it
The African Penguin can be seen all year round, with peak activity in September. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Watch the African Penguin on live cams
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Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify an African Penguin?
- African penguins grow to 60–70 cm (24–28 in) tall and weigh between 2.2–3.5 kg (4.9–7.7 lb). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is an African Penguin?
- The African Penguin is a huge sized bird weighing about 3.1 kg.
- Where can you see an African Penguin?
- The African Penguin occurs in 2 countries, including South Africa and Namibia.
- What birds look similar to an African Penguin?
- The African Penguin is most easily confused with the Galapagos Penguin, the Humboldt Penguin and the Magellanic Penguin.
- Is the African Penguin endangered?
- The African Penguin is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the African Penguin for real
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