Antarctica Penguins | How to See the 8 Antarctic Penguin Species

One of the main reasons travellers come from around the world each year to the 7th continent is to see Antarctica penguins in their natural habitat. The remote, isolated continent and rocky shoreline make it a haven for the flightless birds who come there each year to breed. Antarctica is one of the best places on Earth to see penguins in the wild.

In this article, I cover the 8 penguin species in Antarctica, how to see penguins in Antarctica, and some interesting facts about penguin conservation and adaptation.

If you want to see penguins in Antarctica, at Polar Escapes you can find and book the largest selection of expedition cruises and tours to Antarctica.

How Many Penguins Are There in Antarctica?

• Penguins are the most common birds in Antarctica, and their estimated population is 20 million breeding pairs.
• There are 18 penguin species on Earth, all in the southern hemisphere.
• 8 Species of penguins can be seen in the Antarctic and the sub-Antarctic islands.
• 7 species of penguins living in Antarctica are considered true Antarctic penguins: King, Gentoo, Adelie, Chinstrap, Rockhopper, Macaroni, and Emperor Penguins.
• An additional species, the Magellanic, lives in the sub-Antarctic only.
• Antarctica has two endemic penguin species, which can be seen nowhere else: The Emperor and Adelie.
• Antarctic penguins live in colonies. The largest colony on Earth is on Zavodovski Island, which is home to 1.5 million Chinstrap Penguins.

Here are all the penguin species you can see in Antarctica and the subantarctic.

1. Emperor penguins

The largest of all penguin species, emperor penguins can grow up to 122cm tall and weigh up to 45kg.  

Emperor penguins are incredibly tough—they’re the only penguins to breed in Antarctica in the winter, in temperatures as low as -40-50°C and winds up to 200 kph.

They spend their lives in the ocean and ice surrounding the continent, feeding on fish, squid, and krill. 

The Emperor Penguin tends to live inland, making it harder to spot than other species. Therefore, you are less likely to see them on the Antarctic peninsula.

Snow Hill Island in the Weddell Sea is home to an important breeding ground for emperor penguins. A colony of up to 4,000 individuals can be seen there. The remote Ross Sea region is home to over 100,000 Emperor penguins.

2. King penguins

Antarctica is also home to the world’s second-largest penguin, the king! These tall and sleek penguins have distinctive yellow and orange feathers on their upper chests that stand out against the polar wilderness. 

Male and female king penguins are almost identical, but males are slightly larger, growing up to around 100cm in height. King penguins keep the freezing Antarctic chill off their bodies thanks to their down feathers.

Although king penguins look similar to emperors, they’re rarely found together. They prefer the warmer Subantarctic waters and can dive to more than 240m depths.

3. Adélie Penguins 

The most unique penguin species on our list, the Adélie, is endemic to the Antarctic, the only place on Earth where you’ll see one. 

Named by French explorer Dumont d’Urville in 1837 in honour of his wife, Adélies are the smallest but most widely distributed penguin species in the Antarctic.

These little penguins have black and white bodies and white-ringed eyes and are generally spotted in smaller groups or as individuals, particularly further south. 

Although Adelie penguins are commonly spotted across Antarctica, on every shore, their population, like so much wildlife, is under threat from climate change, and it has fallen by over 65% in the past 25 years. 

Despite this threat and their small size, they’re efficient foragers and predators. They can dive down to 180m to catch fish and krill.

During the winter, Adélie penguins live on the northerly pack ice. During the summer, they return to the Antarctic islands and continental coastline.

4. Chinstrap Penguins

Named after the distinctive strap-like black marking that runs from their eyes to under their chins, chinstrap penguins are easy to spot. Before you approach a colony (or rookery), you may also hear that they’re one of the most raucous and vocal of penguin species. 

They can be found in large numbers across the Antarctic, but the biggest colony is on Zavodowski Island in the South Sandwich Islands, which is an active volcano and home to 1.3 million chinstraps.

The Chinstrap penguin generally prefers to be away from the ice and breeds on craggy, bare rocks, using its strong claws to hoist itself. 

Chinstrap penguins are more common in the Subantarctic; they can also be found in the Antarctic peninsula.

5. Macaroni Penguins

Penguins arguably have the best names of all seabirds, and macaroni’s are no exception. Their name has nothing to do with pasta; it’s a far more obscure reference to 18th-century slang. This is thanks to the distinctive yellow feathers on their crest.

In fact, macaroni penguins are the largest crested penguins. There is a population of 3.5 million macaroni penguins on South Georgia Island.

6. Gentoo Penguins

A close relative of the Adélie and chinstrap, gentoo penguins are the fastest-swimming penguins in the world. 

They can swim at speeds of up to 22.4 mph and are also expert divers, reaching depths of up to 225m. They can stay underwater for up to seven minutes. Their diet mainly consists of krill, squid and fish,  

Gentoos are the third largest species; appearance-wise, they are black and white with a splash of white around the eyes and bright orange beaks. They also have prominent tails that stick out and sweep from side to side as they walk.

From November onwards, you’ll find them nesting in rocky areas on beaches along the Antarctic peninsula. Gentoo penguins use stones to build nests to form their rookeries.

7. Rockhopper Penguins 

Technically, it is a subantarctic species rather than an Antarctica species (the Falkland Islands and South Georgia are particularly good for spotting them), and rockhoppers look like the smaller sibling of macaroni penguins. 

The Rockhopper penguin is the smallest penguin species to live in the Antarctic region, with an average height of under 55cm. 

They’re literally named, leaping around the craggy rocks of the shoreline to build rookeries. 

8. Magellanic Penguins

The Magellanic penguin is only found in the sub-Antartic. It lives in large colonies with up to 400,000 penguins and can be seen in the Falkland Islands and South America.

The Magellenic penguin is a fast swimmer. It can reach speeds of up to 25km per hour and dive down as far as 75 metres when hunting for food. It swims as far away as 80km from its nests to hunt. Penguins typically feed on small fish and krill as part of their diet.

They take their name from the explorer Magellan, who first spotted the penguins in 1520.

How To See Penguins In Antarctica

The best way to see penguins in Antarctica is on an expedition cruise. Expedition cruises allow access to penguin rookeries and other wildlife sites that would be inaccessible using the ship’s Zodiacs. Travellers are taken ashore by a highly trained guide team to ensure that wildlife is not disturbed.

Here are my top tips

• Choose a small ship with a limited number of guests to spend maximum time at penguin colonies and wildlife sites.
• Consider joining a birdwatching or wildlife-specific itinerary to spend the most time wildlife watching.
• Be patient with penguins, and don’t approach them. Often, they will come to you.
• Follow the instructions of the expedition leader to ensure minimum disturbance is created.
• Choose an expedition cruise line with lots of experience. All the tours we provide at Polar Escapes are delivered by trusted partners who are members of IATTO.

When Is The Best Time To See Penguins in Antarctica?

The best time to see Antarctica penguins is from late October until mid-March, which is summer in the southern hemisphere. Depending on which month you visit, you will see a different stage of the breeding cycle.

Between November and December, penguins return to Antarctica and begin their courtship rituals and egg-laying. After a long, harsh winter, the continent comes alive.

December to February are the best months to see penguin chicks hatching and forming large creches on the rocky outcrops. Towards the end of February, penguin chicks are taking their first steps. By March, penguin chicks will be learning to swim.

Time your Antarctica cruise around what stage of the penguin breeding cycle you would like to see.

Top places to spot penguins in Antarctica

There are several prime spots for witnessing penguin colonies in large numbers in Antarctica and the Subantarctic islands.

• Snow Hill Island – a small (400sqkm) remote island surrounded by sea ice and a significant breeding ground for emperor penguins. You’ll find colonies of up to 4,000 penguins, which are only accessible by helicopter from a cruise ship on a specialist expedition.
• Antarctica Peninsula—one of the main destinations for Antarctic expeditions and a great place to spot Adélie, Gentoo, and chinstrap penguins. 

Subantarctic Islands and Penguin Habitats

• South Georgia – is an important breeding ground for king penguins, with large colonies that can exceed 400,000 individuals. It’s also home to large colonies of macaroni and gentoo penguins and a smaller number of chinstrap penguins.

• The Falkland Islands are another haven for penguins, with five species, including king, macaroni, Magellanic, and rockhopper, and the largest gentoo penguin population in the world, with around 100,000 breeding pairs. 

• South Sandwich Islands –  is a breeding ground for Chinstrap penguins, with an estimated population of 1.3 million pairs, making it one of the largest animal colonies on Earth. 

How Penguins Adapt to Antarctica’s Extreme Conditions 

Penguins can thrive in the extremely harsh conditions of Antarctica and have unique adaptations that help them to survive in temperatures as low as -40°C. 

One of the main ways penguins have adapted is their ability to stay insulated through a thick layer of fat (blubber), which is particularly important in the water. They also have feathers that keep the water off their skin and help penguins retain heat. 

As flightless birds, penguins are designed to swim and dive. Their powerful paddle muscles and streamlined shape allow them to reach speeds of up to 25mph in the water. 

They’re also fantastic divers, reaching depths of up to 500m as they hunt for fish and krill. This is thanks to their streamlined bodies, powerful flippers, and highly efficient lungs. 

In addition to evolutionary adaptations, penguins have also adapted their behaviour to withstand Antarctica’s extreme winds and storms. They have a unique way of standing and balancing so they don’t fall over. Penguins are also social birds, huddling in large groups to share body heat and shielding against the elements.

Their adaptations even extend to breeding. For example, emperor penguins can breed in the middle of winter in the lowest temperatures by taking turns incubating eggs and hunting for food, making their young more likely to survive.

Cultural Significance of Penguins in Antarctica 

Antarctica penguins are a beloved symbol in folklore, particularly for indigenous cultures. Although Antarctica has no indigenous human population, the significance of penguins can’t be underestimated.

For visitors to Antarctica from early scientists and explorers to contemporary climate researchers and tourists – penguins are a powerful symbol of survival and resilience in extreme environments.

In the early days of exploration and scientific research in Antarctica, many were drawn to the region for the opportunity to study penguins and their habitats, which has continued to be the subject of scientific studies over the decades.

Now, for those who visit and work in Antarctica, penguins are an essential reminder of the beauty of the natural world and the importance of wildlife protection.

Whatever your reason for visiting Antarctica – it’s a rare opportunity to see an abundance of these magnificent creatures in stunning, remote locations.

Are Penguins In Antarctica in danger?

All Antarctica penguins and other wildlife species are vulnerable to climate change, and seabirds are among the world’s most globally threatened because of their effects on their environment.

However, Antarctica has been a vital site for scientific research since the 19th century, and there are conservation programmes dedicated to protecting the continent and its wildlife.

The Antarctic Treaty, established in 1961, protects all of Antarctica’s plants and wildlife. The Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) is responsible for regulating fisheries in the Southern Ocean.

Antarctica also has large marine reserves called Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which can help protect penguin habitats from fishing and pollution. Marine protected areas (MPAs) are the most effective way to limit damage caused by human activities and support healthy ocean ecosystems.

Getting involved in penguin conservation

There are a few ways people can get involved in penguin conservation, including:

• Supporting organisations such as the WWF and IUCN
• Volunteering for conservation projects or citizen science initiatives can also help protect penguin populations.
• Spreading awareness about penguin conservation and the impact of climate change

We hope you enjoyed this article on Antarctica penguins. If you would like to see Antarctic penguins for yourself, please see our range of Antarctic cruises and tours.

If you would like to learn more about other wildlife in Antarctica please see our Guide To Antarctica Wildlife.

The team at Polar Escapes has heaps of firsthand experience visiting Antarctica and is ready to help you plan your perfect trip.