Empire of the Penguin - Kings
Description
The way-cool king penguin has a black head, chin, and throat, with vivid orange, tear-shaped patches on each side of the head. The orange coloration extends to the upper chest.
Size: 94 cm (37 in.), 13.5–16 kg (30–35 lb.)
Distribution: Subantarctic islands and peninsulas, usually forage in ice-free waters
The King of Chick Care
The king penguin has the longest breeding cycle of all the penguin species, lasting 14-16 months. A female king penguin may produce a chick during alternate breeding seasons.
Chick challenges
King penguin chicks hatch without a single feather and grow down feathers within a few weeks. The chick is dependent upon its parents for survival until it grows its waterproof feathers, which can take more than a year.
Neat feet
Instead of building a nest, king and emperor penguins incubate their eggs and chicks on top of their warm, neat feet. Unlike emperor penguins, king penguin parents take turns incubating the egg.