What Do Penguins Eat? ????

penguin family PJSUDWD scaled e1619813765586

Affiliate Disclaimer
As an affiliate, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
We may get a commissions for purchases made through links on this website from Amazon and other third parties.

Penguins eat a variety of different foods – but all are predators. From krill to crustaceans, and squids to sprats – there is something for everyone.

Penguin Facts: What Do Penguins Eat?

king penguins V92L3JU scaled e1617825252924
King Penguins heading to the water in the Falkland Islands

All penguins hunt for food in the oceans – they don’t hunt anything found on land. Depending on where they live and their speed and size – they can eat anything from microscopic krill to huge squid and large fish. As they live around the coasts of three major continents – their choice of menu is huge.

They all eat slightly different things too – so that they can live in the same habitats without competing for foods. Yes, there is a small amount of overlap – but generally several species can live and/or feed in the same area and all still come home with full tummies. Main food groups include:

Krill – tiny crustaceans (usually less than 2cm as adults) that live in huge numbers in the colder oceans

Crustaceans – all aquatic arthropods (3 body segments) including shrimps, prawns as well as larval crabs and lobsters

Cephalopods – (meaning head-feet) this group includes, squid, octopus, cuttlefish and nautilus

Fish – anything from anchovies, pilchards and sprats, to goby, mullet and lanternfish

Which Penguins Eat Which Food?

Generally you can clump the main 18 penguin species into 4 main diet groups based on what they don’t eat or live near rather than based on their size. The largest (emperor) and the smallest (little) penguins eat the same things after all.

Group 1: Krill, crustaceans, cephalopods and fish:

Adelie, Chinstrap, Emperor, Erect-Crested, Northern Rockhopper and Little penguins have the widest range of staple foods. This most-southerly group lives across the entire southern hemisphere including Antarctica itself – so eat many different species between them. Krill however is the main food source throughout the year – and some penguins can eat as much as 13 pounds of it a day.

The Royal penguin also eats krill and cephalopods – but fish aren’t often on their main menu. They are only found in one location, south of New Zealand and used to be harvested in huge numbers for their oil – but they have recovered well.

Group 2: Crustaceans, cephalopods and fish:

Gentoo (the fastest penguins), Magellanic, Southern Rockhopper and Humboldt penguins are all focussed around the southern tip of South America and the islands surrounding it. Sharing a wide range of habitats for their feeding, they focus slightly more on fish.

Less well-known and quite rare, Snares and Fiordland penguins feed in the seas around New Zealand. They are only found in this restricted location – and also focus less on krill.

Group 3: Mainly fish and cephalopods:

The further north penguins are found – the more they focus on crustaceans and fish (as krill is found mainly in just very cold waters).

King penguins are one of the largest penguins however – will still take krill if they find it – especially in breeding season. Macaroni and Yellow-Eyed penguins are the same – with all three specialising in lanternfish and other bottom-dwellers as their main go-to fish.

Group 4: Mainly just fish:

African penguins off the coast of Namibia, and Galapagos penguins – the most northerly species – absolutely love fish. They go out hunting all day for schooling fish and return to land each night.

Due to the rich ocean currents where these two species live – they don’t have to travel far to feed – and with the Galapagos penguin being the second-smallest penguin species – that is great news.

Do Penguins Have Teeth?

african penguins PD9SBBM scaled e1619814632526
The Boulders section of the Table Mountain National Park in Simons Town is home to a land-based colony of endangered African Penguins.

Like all birds – penguins do not have teeth. Instead they have a ridged tongue and grooved beak edges to hold onto wet foods. This efficient and simple system prevents food from slipping out of the mouth – and helps guide it down their throat. Most foods are swallowed whole, so there is no need for chewing with penguins.

Most penguins swim at around 6-22 mph in the water, so teeth would in fact be a hindrance to this fast fishing. Better to have a barrier-free opening as you swim fast through the ocean? Penguins feed by sight – so they are very precise with feeding. Opening their mouth reduces their swimming efficiency – so they need to be focussed.

How Does the Digestive System of a Penguin Compare to a Platypus?

The platypus digestion mystery solved: When comparing the digestive systems of penguins and platypus, intriguing differences can be found. While penguins have a simple digestive system designed for their fish-based diet, platypus have a unique system that allows them to digest both plants and small animals. The platypus digestion mystery solved reveals their ability to produce enzymes for breaking down tough plant material, making them adaptable eaters.

What Do Penguins Drink?

Penguins will drink from water sources when on land – as well as eating snow for the same purpose. Often seen gulping fresh water from streams and pools, penguins do well to consume fresh water instead of salt water.

Penguins obviously ingest a lot of sea water – and therefore salt – from their hunting: but they are prepared. Like other seabirds, they have a special gland in their nose to excrete out excess salt from their body. This amazing ability keeps them safe from the toxicity of salt ingestion (the reason humans can’t drink too much sea water ourselves).

Table of contents

About the author

Latest posts

  • Fun Facts About Ibexes

    Fun Facts About Ibexes

    Imagine standing face-to-face with one of nature’s most majestic creatures, whose ability to scale daunting cliffs challenges gravity itself. You’ve just pictured the ibex, an awe-inspiring species of mountain goats that call some of the world’s most precipitous terrains their home. With their unique adaptations, these wild animals are archetypes of survival, gracefully bounding across…

    Read more

  • Fun Facts About Hares

    Fun Facts About Hares

    Welcome to a journey through the fascinating hare trivia that’s bound to surprise you. When you think of speedy mammals, perhaps hares don’t immediately spring to mind, but they should. Beyond their adorable looks and the confusion with their rabbit relatives, hares boast unique characteristics that make them truly remarkable creatures. Getting to know these…

    Read more

  • Fun Facts About Royal Bengal Tigers

    Fun Facts About Royal Bengal Tigers

    Imagine stepping into the vibrant wilderness of the Indian subcontinent, with its lush forests and warm grasslands, where you might catch a glimpse of the majestic Royal Bengal Tigers in their natural habitat. Magnificent and powerful, the Panthera Tigris Tigris reigns supreme – a symbol of India’s rich biodiversity and the embodiment of wildlife wonder.…

    Read more