Adélie Penguin

Pygoscelis adeliae

Standing just 70 cm tall and dressed in a crisp tuxedo-like coat, this charismatic Antarctic penguin can swim up to 185 kilometres a day while hunting for krill.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

Adélie Penguins are distinctive medium-sized penguins with a classic tuxedo-like appearance. They have a black head, back, and wings contrasting sharply with a white chest and belly. Their most striking feature is the white ring around each eye.

Both males and females look alike, with no seasonal plumage changes. Juveniles are similar but have a blue-grey throat and chin instead of the adults' black colouration.

Size

Length

70cm to 71cm

Wingspan

75cm to 80cm

Weight

3kg to 6kg

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Black White

Beak Colour

Red Black

Leg Colour

Pink

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Adélie Penguin is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Adélie Penguin is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Adélie Penguin is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Adélie Penguin can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Adélie Penguin is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Adélie Penguin is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Adélie Penguin is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Adélie Penguin is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Adélie Penguin can be found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Adélie Penguin is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Adélie Penguin is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Adélie Penguin is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Adélie Penguins are found along the Antarctic coastline and nearby islands, including the Antarctic Peninsula, Ross Sea, and East Antarctica. They inhabit areas with accessible open water and rocky, ice-free terrain for nesting.

During winter, they disperse northward to the pack ice zone surrounding Antarctica, following the extent of sea ice. They are rarely seen in waters north of the Antarctic Convergence.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 300 meters

Climate zones

Antarctic, Subantarctic

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Adélie Penguin. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons