What is the Difference Between Emperor and King Penguin

Emperor and King penguins are two of the largest penguin species. They both have black backs, white bellies, and yellow-orange markings on their heads. These two species are also closely related. However, emperor penguins are not the same as king penguins.

What is the difference between Emperor and King Penguin? Emperor penguins are larger, have pale yellow markings on their upper chest and a more curved beak, while King penguins are smaller, have brighter orange markings extending to their chest, and a straighter beak.

Key Areas Covered

1. Emperor Penguin
     – Facts, Features, and Behaviors 
2. King Penguin
     – Facts, Features, and Behaviors 
3. Similarities Between Emperor and King Penguin
     – Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Emperor and King Penguin
     – Comparison of Key Differences
5. FAQ: Emperor and King Penguin
     – Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

Key Terms

Emperor King, King Penguin, Penguin 

Emperor Penguin – Facts, Features, and Behaviors 

The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest penguin species. They live only in Antarctica. Both males and females are similar in size and appearance. They reach about 100 cm in length and weigh between 22 to 45 kg. They have black feathers on their head and back, a white belly, a pale-yellow breast, and bright-yellow ear patches.

Their diet mainly consists of fish, but they also eat krill (small crustaceans) and squid. When hunting, emperor penguins can stay underwater for up to 20 minutes, diving as deep as 535m to find food.

Emperor penguins are the only penguins that breed during the Antarctic winter. They travel 50 to 120 km over the ice to reach breeding colonies, where several thousand penguins may gather. The female lays a single egg. The male keeps it warm for over two months and the female goes to sea to feed. Once the egg hatches, both parents take turns going to sea to find food and caring for their chick. In the wild, emperor penguins can live for about 20 years.

King Penguin – Facts, Features, and Behaviors 

The king penguin is the second largest penguin species. They stand at 85–95 cm tall. Males are slightly bigger than females. Their weight changes throughout the breeding season. When they return to their colonies and begin courting, they weigh between 10 and 15 kg. By the end of the breeding season, their weight can drop to 8 to 11 kg.

King penguins have bright orange ear patches that extend down to their chest. They are closely related to emperor penguins but are thinner and have larger flippers compared to their body size. There are two subspecies of king penguins. A. patagonicus patagonicus is found in South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, and southern Chile, and A. patagonicus halli is found in the Kerguelen Islands, Crozet Island, Prince Edward Islands, Heard Island, McDonald Islands, and Macquarie Island.

These penguins mainly eat lanternfish, squid, and krill. They are deep divers, often reaching over 100 meters and sometimes diving more than 300 meters to find food. Their predators include giant petrels, skuas, leopard seals, and orcas.

King penguins breed on sub-Antarctic islands where they form huge, dense colonies, sometimes with hundreds of thousands of pairs. They prefer flat, ice-free areas near the sea, like beaches and valleys.

Their breeding cycle is the longest of any penguin and lasts from 13 to 16 months. They lay their eggs between November and April, and their chicks take a long time to grow before they are ready to be independent.

Similarities Between Emperor and King Penguin

1. Both are large penguins and belong to the same penguin family (genus Aptenodytes).
2. Both feed on fish, krill, and squid.
3. These species lay one egg during the breeding season.
4. They dive deep into the water to catch food.
5. Both form large colonies during breeding, with many penguins gathering together.

Difference Between Emperor and King Penguin

Definition

• The Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the largest and heaviest living penguin species, native to Antarctica. The King penguin (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is the second largest penguin species and is closely related to the Emperor penguin.

Size

• Emperor penguins are larger and heavier (about 100 cm tall) whereas king penguins are smaller (85–95 cm tall).

Weight

• Emperor penguins weigh between 22 to 45 kg, while king penguins weigh between 10 to 15 kg at the start of breeding.

Coloration

• Emperor penguins have bright orange spots that extend from the ears to the chest while king penguins have lighter, less intense orange patches around the ears, fading to yellow on the chest.

Beak

• Emperor penguins have a long, narrow beak whereas king penguins have a long, narrow beak that is more curved and has an intense orange stripe.

Habitat

• Emperor penguins live in Antarctica and outlying areas, but king penguins live on sub-Antarctic islands rather than the continent itself.

FAQ: Emperor and King Penguin

1. Is king penguin bigger than Emperor?

King penguins are not bigger than Emperor penguins. Emperor penguins are the largest penguin species on Earth. King penguins are smaller than Emperor penguins and the world’s second-largest penguin species.

2. Do king and emperor penguins live together?

No, King and Emperor penguins do not live together. Emperor penguins live in Antarctica, while King penguins prefer warmer temperatures and live in sub-Antarctic regions.

3. How to identify an emperor penguin?

You can identify an Emperor penguin by its large size, black head and back, white belly, and yellow ear patches that fade to pale yellow on the chest. It is also the biggest penguin in the world.

4. Why do king penguins look like emperor penguins?

King penguins look like emperor penguins because they are closely related. They both have similar body shapes, black backs, white bellies, and yellow-orange markings on their heads.

5. What is the largest penguin?

The Emperor penguin is the largest penguin. It can grow up to 100 cm (39 inches) tall and weigh up to 45 kg (99 lbs).

Reference:

1. “King Penguin.” Antarctica.Gov.Au.

2. “Emperor Penguin.” Wikipedia. Wikipedia Foundation.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Penguins Edinburgh Zoo 2004 SMC” (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia

2. “Emperor Penguins” By Christopher Michel (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr