Hobbies And Interests
Height and Weight
The emperor penguin is the tallest penguin. It can grow to be as tall as 4 feet high. It is also the heaviest of all penguins. They can weigh as much as 90 pounds. Male emperor penguins usually weigh more than the females.
Appearance
Like many other penguins, the heads of emperor penguins are larger than average for other bird species. Additionally, these birds are the only penguins with distinguishing yellow ear patches. It is difficult to distinguish between male and female penguins just from sight, as the genders look similar. You can distinguish the gender of the emperor penguin by either determining its weight or examining the creature's genitals.
Breeding
The emperor penguin is the only penguin species to breed during the Antarctic winter. The female can lay two eggs at a time, but because of the extremely low winter temperatures, she only lays one egg in May or June. The male protects the egg by balancing it on his feet until it hatches. Emperor penguins have a thick layer of skin over their feet that creates a pouch to keep an egg and chick warm. The male penguin protects the egg from the harsh winter cold for about two months while the female is feeding in the ocean. During this time, he goes without food, yet he is able to leave for feeding once the female penguin returns to take over caring for their offspring. The returning female then regurgitates some of the food in her belly to feed to the baby penguin.
Winter Survival
Because the emperor penguin is the only species of penguin that spends the Antarctic winter in the water and on the ice, it follows habits to survive the brutal cold, including huddling together to help keep one another warm. Additionally, the penguins have a thick layer of blubber that provides interior insulation against the cold. Finally, these penguins have more feathers than do other penguins, which provides them with an extra "coat" to help keep them warm.