What is the difference between a male penguin and a female penguin

Once a penguin has warmed a bit it will move to the perimeter of the. Emperor penguins spend the long winter on the open ice—and even breed during this harsh season. Females lay a single egg and then promptly leave it behind. They undertake an extended hunting trip that lasts some two months! Depending on the extent of the ice pack, females may need to travel some 50 miles 80 kilometers just to reach the open ocean, where they will feed on fish , squid , and krill.

At sea, emperor penguins can dive to 1, feet meters —deeper than any other bird—and stay under for more than 20 minutes. Male emperors keep the newly laid eggs warm, but they do not sit on them, as many other birds do. Males stand and protect their eggs from the elements by balancing them on their feet and covering them with feathered skin known as a brood pouch. During this two-month bout of babysitting, the males eat nothing and are at the mercy of the Antarctic elements.

When female penguins return to the breeding site, they bring a belly full of food that they regurgitate for the newly hatched chicks. Meanwhile, their duty done, male emperors take to the sea in search of food for themselves. Mothers care for their young chicks and protect them with the warmth of their own brood pouches.

Outside of this warm cocoon, a chick could die in just a few minutes. In December, Antarctic summer, the pack ice begins to break up and open water appears near the breeding site, just as young emperor penguins are ready to swim and fish on their own. In species that don't build nests, the adults incubate by balancing the eggs on their feet.

Incubation duties are shared between the parents in all species except one. In Emperor penguins, the male takes care of his egg for two months straight, relying on the warmth of his fellow penguin papas to survive the cold as his fat reserves dwindle. Follow Joseph Castro on Twitter. Live Science.

Joseph Castro. The breeding season for penguins depends on the species, as does the number of eggs the female lays. The breeding season for a king penguin can last 16 months. Females lay two eggs, although this can vary depending on species.

Once the female lays her eggs, both the male and female penguins take turns incubating it, the male going first. The second egg usually gets preferential treatment and is often the only one that hatches. Sixty-two percent of the time female penguins choose to return to the mate they paired up with during the previous breeding season, according to seaworld. If a female chooses a different partner, it is often because her previous mate did not return for the mating season. It may also be because the male did not return to the breeding site at the same time, or he found a new mate.