Penguins
This reading profile brings together 2 source-linked articles that reference penguins.
Fauna does not yet have a full sourced identification profile for this name, so this page keeps the relevant reading together without inventing missing species detail.Source-linked reading
- Field guideHow penguins stay warmA penguin's waterproof outer feather surface and downy afterfeathers hold insulating air near the skin. Fat and compact shape add resistance, while countercurrent blood vessels recover heat from flippers and feet; behavior adjusts exposure, and emperor penguins share warmth in moving huddles.
- Field guideHow seabirds handle saltKidneys alone cannot efficiently excrete all the salt gained from seawater and marine prey while conserving water. Nasal salt glands actively move ions into a secretion saltier than blood; ducts carry it to the nostrils, where droplets run or are shaken from the bill.