When penguins turn blue...

We are taking a closer look at penguins, starting from the smallest to the biggest.


So today, we will look at Little Penguins. Funny thing about them...they're blue! There are two types:


 The Fairy penguin (smallest penguin in the world):

• 1st IK*: Gray-blue feathers on back, white underside.
• 2nd IK: Flippers have white on trailing edges
• 3rd IK: Pink on top of feet

  The White Flippered penguin:

• 1st IK: Gray-blue feathers on back, white underside.
• 2nd IK: Flippers have white on leading and trailing edges
• 3rd IK: Pink on top of feet

Little penguins are particularly susceptible to oil in their native waters. When rescued from oil, however, there's a unique way to keep them from dying; penguin sweaters!

For more details on how sweaters save Little Penguins, click here!

*Identification Key, or IKs, are characteristics used to identify an animal. (More about identification keys here.)

When penguins turn blue...

We are taking a closer look at penguins, starting from the smallest to the biggest.


So today, we will look at Little Penguins. Funny thing about them...they're blue! There are two types:


 The Fairy penguin (smallest penguin in the world):

• 1st IK*: Gray-blue feathers on back, white underside.
• 2nd IK: Flippers have white on trailing edges
• 3rd IK: Pink on top of feet

  The White Flippered penguin:

• 1st IK: Gray-blue feathers on back, white underside.
• 2nd IK: Flippers have white on leading and trailing edges
• 3rd IK: Pink on top of feet

Little penguins are particularly susceptible to oil in their native waters. When rescued from oil, however, there's a unique way to keep them from dying; penguin sweaters!

For more details on how sweaters save Little Penguins, click here!

*Identification Key, or IKs, are characteristics used to identify an animal. (More about identification keys here.)

Funny birds!

Penguins can't really fly, but they ARE birds.


After my last post showing computer-generated "flying" penguins, I hope you will remember forever that they are birds. Why? Because 40% of people surveyed thought they were mammals! So the answer to my post Can you tell a mammal from...something else?,  is two birds, four mammals.


Penguins are fun to get to know, so we'll look at some interesting ones in my next post!

Funny birds!

Penguins can't really fly, but they ARE birds.


After my last post showing computer-generated "flying" penguins, I hope you will remember forever that they are birds. Why? Because 40% of people surveyed thought they were mammals! So the answer to my post Can you tell a mammal from...something else?,  is two birds, four mammals.


Penguins are fun to get to know, so we'll look at some interesting ones in my next post!

For fun...BBC discovers a new kind of penguin!

For fun...BBC discovers a new kind of penguin!

Can you tell a mammal from...something else?

40% of students tested couldn't!  Let's see if you can.


Just remember that mammals usually:
- suckle their young
- possess hair or fur
- breathe air


Check out the animals below...how many are mammals?

Last post's answers from Can you tell a pangolin from a pillbug?: pangolin (vertebrate), armadillo lizard (vertebrate), pillbug (invertebrate), armadillo (vertebrate).