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What do penguins eat?
How big do penguins get?
Why are the penguins black on the back and white on the stomach?
How fast can penguins swim?
Do penguins mate for life?
How long do penguin eggs incubate?

What kinds of penguins does Shedd have?
Shedd has three different species of penguin: gentoo, Magellanic and rockhopper penguins.
What kind of animal is a penguin?
A penguin is a bird.
Where do penguins live in the wild?
All penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere. The southernmost species (the emperor and the Adelie penguins) live in Antarctica. The northernmost species (the Galapagos penguin) lives in the Galapagos Islands. The other species live along the Antarctic Peninsula, the coastal areas of South America, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
What do penguins eat?
A penguin's diet consists mainly of krill, fish and squid that is swallowed whole. At Shedd, our penguins eat herring, capelin and krill. The penguins eat approximately two pounds of food every day.
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How big do penguins get?
Penguins range in size from the emperor, standing 3 to 4 feet tall and weighing up to 90 pounds, to the fairy, which stands 12 to 16 inches tall and weighs only 2.5 pounds.
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Why are the penguins black on the back and white on the stomach?
This black and white pattern is called "countershading." Countershading provides camouflage from predators in the ocean.
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How fast can penguins swim?
Penguins are designed to be aerodynamic and "fly" in the water. Their wings are shaped like paddles, their feet are webbed, and their bones are solid (as opposed to most birds, which have hollow bones). All of this allows penguins to be excellent swimmers - sometimes attaining speeds of 15 miles per hour.
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Do penguins mate for life?
Yes. Penguins form monogamous pairs that last a lifetime.
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How long do penguin eggs incubate?
It depends on the species. Penguin eggs at the Aquarium incubate for 35 to 42 days.
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