While penguins can't fly, their wings have evolved into flippers, making them powerful and graceful swimmers — often referred to as “flying underwater.”
The dark back blends with the ocean depths when viewed from above, while the white belly camouflages them from predators below.
Penguins have a thick layer of blubber and tightly packed waterproof feathers to insulate them from the extreme cold of their environments, especially in Antarctica.
Their distinctive side-to-side waddle helps conserve energy while walking. On ice, they often toboggan — sliding on their bellies to move quickly.
Many penguin species mate for life and are known for elaborate courtship rituals. They also nest in large colonies called "rookeries," which can consist of thousands of birds.
In some species like the Emperor Penguin, males incubate the egg on their feet for months during the freezing winter while females hunt for food.
Penguins can drink seawater thanks to a specialized supraorbital gland that filters excess salt from their bloodstream, excreting it through their beaks.