https://www.factretriever.com/penguin-facts
Seemingly decked out in a tux, the penguin may very well be the most fashionable of our flightless friends. Waddle through these interesting penguin facts to discover just what makes this beloved sea bird the life of the party.
1. In the United States, it is illegal to eat penguins.
2. Penguins’ eyes work better underwater than they do in air. Penguins are extremely short-sighted on land.
3. A group of penguins in the water is called a “raft.” A group of penguins on land is called a “waddle.”
4. Penguins can control the blood flow to their extremities to reduce the amount of blood that gets cold, but not enough so that their extremities freeze.
5. Penguins can drink salt water because they have a special gland, the supraorbital gland, that filters salt from the bloodstream.
6. The tallest type of penguin is the Emperor penguin, at nearly 4 feet tall. The smallest is the Little Blue penguin, at about 16 inches tall.
7. Penguins often slide, or “toboggan” on their tummies over ice and snow. Researchers believe they do this for fun and as an efficient way to travel.
8. Penguins’ unique coloring is called “countershading.” Looking from above, the penguins’ black backs help them blend into the dark ocean. From underwater, the penguins’ white belly blends in against the light sky and snow.
9. Penguins do not have teeth. Instead they have spines on the roof of their beak and on their tongues to help them get a good grip on their prey.
10. By wrapping their bodies in a cloak of bubbles that come from their feathers, penguins gain a type of “turbo” speed, which allows them to jump over 9 feet (3 meters) in the air.
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