When it comes to nesting, king penguins differ from many other species of penguins. Rather than collecting pebbles or excavating burrows, king penguins have a mobile nest- right on top of their feet! The female will lay one egg and both parents will take turns incubating the egg by balancing it on top of their feet under a warm fold of skin.
- Diet:
- King penguins eat fish, krill, crustaceans, and squid.
- Habitat:
- Nest sites are on sub-antarctic islands surrounding Antarctica. They spend long stretches of time at sea.
Create Connections. Inspire Action. Impact Conservation.
Riverbanks supports penguins of all species by encouraging sustainable seafood consumption through Seafood Watch. Riverbanks’ Satch Krantz Conservation Fund and Field Conservation Associates have also supported sustainable guano harvest in Peru and chick bolstering and rehabilitation in South Africa.
See king penguins at Penguin Coast in the Riverbanks Birdhouse.
Guests can also check in on the coolest birds in town at our penguin live stream.