King Penguin

Aptenodytes patagonicus Miller, JF, 1778

≈72 cmLength12 kgWeight

The adult has bright orange cheek patches and an orange wash on the upper breast, and is slimmer than Emperor Penguin.

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, Falkland Islands, Argentina

Least Concern

How to identify

Field marks

Adult has bright orange patches on the sides of the face
Adult has an orange-tinged upper breast
Adult has an orange-tinged patch on the side of the lower mandible
Adult has a smoky-gray back

Male, female and young

Sexes alike in appearance; male slightly larger. Chick covered in dense dark brown down.

Where and when it's recorded

King Penguin has been recorded at 39 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 7 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

GrytvikenSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands521 records
Salisbury PlainSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands491 records
Gold HarbourSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands474 records

More places

St Andrew's BaySouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands428 records
Saunders Island – The NeckFalkland Islands338 records
Volunteer Point Penguin ColonyFalkland Islands261 records
Cooper BaySouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands256 records
Fortuna Bay – Whistle CoveSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands241 records
ElsehulSouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands229 records
Fortuna BaySouth Georgia & South Sandwich Islands180 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands Falkland Islands Argentina French Southern Territories Antarctica Heard & McDonald Islands South Africa

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The king penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is the second largest species of penguin, smaller than but somewhat similar in appearance to the emperor penguin.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the King Penguin?

The King Penguin is about ≈72 cm long and weighs around 12 kg.

Where does the King Penguin live?

Its breeding range: Southern Ocean: subantarctic islands beaches: Tierra del Fuego, Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands (southwestern South Atlantic), Prince Edward, Crozet, Kerguelen and Heard islands (southwestern, southeastern South Indian), Macquarie Island (far southeast of Australia, southwestern South Pacific). It is most often recorded in South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands, Falkland Islands and Argentina.

When is the best time to see the King Penguin?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the King Penguin endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the King Penguin as Least Concern.

What does the King Penguin eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the King Penguin in?

It belongs to the family Penguins (Spheniscidae), order Sphenisciformes.

At a glance

Length: ≈72 cm
Weight: 12 kg
Habitat: Ocean
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: On the water surface
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 167 mm
Tail: 64 mm
Bill: 106 mm
Tarsus: 52 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Southern Ocean: subantarctic islands beaches: Tierra del Fuego, Falkland Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands (southwestern South Atlantic), Prince Edward, Crozet, Kerguelen and Heard islands (southwestern, southeastern South Indian), Macquarie Island (far southeast of Australia, southwestern South Pacific)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2