African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) Fact Sheet: Physical Characteristics

*Body weight variable through the year, generally heavier prior to molt.

Data sources
Weight range: Martínez et al. (2017)
Average weight: Dunning (2008)
Body length: Brown et al. (1982); Martínez et al. (2017)

General characteristics

• Medium-sized black and white penguin
• Walk with upright, straight-backed gait on land; flippers held away from body

Adult features

• Black from above; white from below
• An elliptical, black band running from lower left flank up across upper breast and back down to lower right flank
  • Rarely with a double breast band (similar to Magellanic penguin; not found in Africa)
• Black bill
• Whitish, bare skin over eye (becomes pinkish-red in hot conditions)
• Legs and feet black

Immature and chick features

• Immature
  • Grey dorsal surface fading to brown before molt
    • Head tends to molt before rest of body (P Whittington personal communication)
  • White streak over eyebrow in some individuals
  • Bill dusky to dark grey
• Chick
  • First down brown; up to two weeks
  • Second down usually darker, grey-brown on dorsal surface; face, throat and belly white

Sexes similar in size and appearance

• Sexes generally alike, with females slightly smaller (Brown et al. 1982; Livezey 1989)
• Males average c. 12% greater body mass than females (Davis and Speirs 1990)

Typical penguin characteristics (Livezey 1989; Martinez 1992)

• African Penguins possess many typical penguin characteristics
• Highly specialized for life at sea
• Body streamlined; neck short
• Long, flat wings used to "fly" through water (incapable of flight through air)
• Limited sexual dimorphism in most
• Specialized adult feather structure
• Thick coat of small, stiff, hardened coverts; lanceolate and slightly curved in shape
• Long, flattened rachis with projecting hyporachis (providing added thickness)
• Overlapping feathers assist with waterproofing, wind resistance, and insulation

Adult plumage with characteristic single, black, elliptical band.

Image credit: © San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. All rights reserved.

Brown et al. (1982)
Davis and Speirs (1990)
Dunning (2008)
Livezey (1989)
Martinez (1992)