*Emperor Penguin*

The Emperor penguin is the heaviest of all seabirds and also one of th hardiest. Living all year round on the Antarctic pack ice, it endures hurricane-force winds and temperature as low as -60℃.

The emperor penguin presents a comical sight when it waddles awkwardly over the ice, flapping its flightless wings to keep its balance, but once in water, it shows a masterful grace and agility. (This part reminds me of "HAPPY FEET").

Habitat
Emperor Penguin lives only on the Antarctic pack ice and surrounding ocean. It may be the only bird which never sets foot on dry. Although it is a marine bird and feeds exclusively at sea, its breeding colonies, called rookeries are usually situated under the shelther of a permanent ice cliff, which may be many miles from the open sea.

It breeds in winter, but a site must be chosen where the ice will not melt until the young have fledged, possibly as late as the early summer (Novemeber in the southern hemisphere). Consequently, some birds travel more than 100km to reach a suitable site.
[Inland 'rookeries', or breeding colonies, may contain up to 25,000 birds in winter.]

Food & Feeding
Despite its cumbersome appearance on land, the emperor penguin is an efficient predator in water. It chases and catches fish, squid, shrimps and other crustaceans, snapping them up with its sharply-tipped bill.

Although, not a very rapid swimmer, its capable of reaching speed of around 6-8km/h only. The streamlined shape of the penguin's body means it can twist and turn quickly in pursuit of its prey.

During the breeding season, both male and female go without food for long periods while they feed their baby, so prior to incubating the egg both sexes feed intensively in order to build up stores of fat.

Special Adaptations
The emperor penguin is adapted to survive some of the most inhospitable conditions on earth. Its thick plumage keeps it warm with a dozen feathers per sq cm. These are short and stiff, with a downy base and closely overlap so they are effective at trapping a layer of insulating air.

The emperor penguin's shape has a low surface area relative to its body size. It is insulated with a thick layer of blubber which provides an energy reserve. The penguin has even developed a heat exchange system in its nasal passages, in order to lose as little heat as possible when breathing out. Also, its flippers and legs are specially adapted to minmize heat loss.

To further conserve heat, the emperor penguin huddles with others in group.

Breeding
Courtship starts in March and the female lays a single egg in mid-May during the Antarctic winder. The parents do not build a nest. Instead, the male penguin incubates the egg from the cold ice by supporting it on its feet. When it is passed from female to male, the parents indulge in a ritual display, dropping their bill on their chest and calling.

The female returns to the sea to feed and replenish her supplies of fat, leaving the male to incubate the egg on his own for 40-50 days, using a fold of skin extending from his belly to protect it from temperatures that may fall as low as -60℃. The incubating male also huddle together for warmth with as many as 6000 congregating at one site within a rookery.

The female return just as the egg is about to hatch. She takes over the last few days of incubation and broods the chick for at least 40 days. This allows the exhausted male, who by this time will have lost nearly half his body weight to return to the sea to feed.

As soon as the chick is old enough to be left, it is deposited in a creche with other young, while both parents hunt for food. As summer approaches, the young penguin becomes increasingly indepenadant. Finally, setting out on its own in December.

DID YOU KNOW?
The emperor penguin can dive to depths of at least 265cm and can stay underwater for 18 minutes far longert than any other bird.

Unlike flying birds, the emperor penguin does not have light, air-filled bones. Thus, this makes it easier to stay underwater for relatively long periods of time.