Emperor Penguin
Aptenodytes forsteri
- Length
- 100–130 cm
- Family
- Penguins (Spheniscidae)
- Order
- Sphenisciformes
Best months to see it
- JanJanuary: Poor or no data
- FebFebruary: Poor or no data
- MarMarch: Poor or no data
- AprApril: Poor or no data
- MayMay: Poor or no data
- JunJune: Poor or no data
- JulJuly: Poor or no data
- AugAugust: Poor or no data
- SepSeptember: Poor or no data
- OctOctober: Best
- NovNovember: Best
- DecDecember: Poor or no data
BestGoodFair
Overview
The emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species and is endemic to Antarctica. The male and female are similar in plumage and size, reaching 100 cm (39 in) in length and weighing from 22 to 45 kg (49 to 99 lb). Feathers of the head and back are black and sharply delineated from the white belly, pale-yellow breast and bright-yellow ear patches.
Like all species of penguin, the emperor is flightless, with a streamlined body, and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat. Its diet consists primarily of fish, but also includes crustaceans, such as krill, and cephalopods, such as squid.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Diet: Fish, krill and squid.
How to identify it
- The tallest penguin
- Yellow-orange ear patches fading into a pale yellow breast
- Breeds on sea ice through the Antarctic winter
Voice
Trumpeting calls.
Where to see it
- Snow Hill Island, Weddell Sea (Oct–Nov, icebreaker trips)
Destination guides featuring this bird
- JJanuary: Poor or no data
- FFebruary: Poor or no data
- MMarch: Poor or no data
- AApril: Poor or no data
- MMay: Poor or no data
- JJune: Poor or no data
- JJuly: Poor or no data
- AAugust: Poor or no data
- SSeptember: Poor or no data
- OOctober: Best
- NNovember: Best
- DDecember: Good
- JJanuary: Best
- FFebruary: Best
- MMarch: Poor or no data
- AApril: Poor or no data
- MMay: Poor or no data
- JJune: Poor or no data
- JJuly: Poor or no data
- AAugust: Poor or no data
- SSeptember: Poor or no data
- OOctober: Poor or no data
- NNovember: Poor or no data
- DDecember: Poor or no data
Similar species
- King Penguin
- smaller with brighter orange comma-shaped ear patches
Range and habitat
Breeds in scattered colonies on Antarctic continent edge and up to 200 km from open sea; ranges Antarctic seas to edge of ice pack and beyond, juveniles dispersing most widely.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Emperor penguin
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
