Emperor Penguin vs Great Blue Heron
Aptenodytes forsteri compared with Ardea herodias
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Emperor Penguin | Great Blue Heron |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aptenodytes forsteri | Ardea herodias |
| Order | Sphenisciformes | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | Spheniscidae | Ardeidae |
| Conservation Status | Near Threatened | Least Concern |
| Length | 115.0 cm (45.3 in) | 117.0 cm (46.1 in) |
| Wingspan | 76.0 cm (29.9 in) | 183.0 cm (72.0 in) |
| Weight | 30000.0 g (1058.22 oz) | 2400.0 g (84.66 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily Antarctic silverfish, krill, and squid. The deepest-diving bird, reaching depths over 500 meters and … | Primarily fish, also frogs, snakes, small mammals, insects, and other birds. Hunts by standing motionless … |
| Clutch Size | 1 | 2-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Emperor Penguin
Antarctic pack ice and surrounding Southern Ocean. The only penguin species that breeds during the Antarctic winter.
Great Blue Heron
Wetlands of all types including marshes, swamps, riverbanks, lake edges, and coastal shores. Also hunts in fields and meadows.
Song & Call Comparison
Emperor Penguin
Loud, resonant trumpeting calls used for individual recognition in dense colonies. Each bird's call is unique in frequency. Also gives softer contact 'braying' notes.
Great Blue Heron
Deep, harsh, croaking 'frahnk-frahnk' call in flight. Also gives low guttural grunts at the nest. Alarmed birds give repeated croaks. Mostly silent for such a large wader.
Geographic Range & Migration
Emperor Penguin
Antarctic continent and surrounding sea ice. Breeding colonies are found along the entire Antarctic coastline.
Great Blue Heron
North and Central America from Alaska and southern Canada to the Caribbean and Galapagos Islands.
Conservation Status
Emperor Penguin
Great Blue Heron
How to Tell Them Apart
Emperor Penguin
Black head, chin, and dorsal side with white belly. Bright yellow-orange ear patches fade to pale yellow on the upper breast.
Long, slightly decurved bill — black with orange or pink mandible stripe
Great Blue Heron
Blue-grey body with a white head bearing a broad black stripe extending to a long black plume. Rufous-brown thighs. In flight, the neck is folded into an S-shape.
Long, dagger-like yellowish bill
About These Birds
Emperor Penguin
The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all penguin species. They breed in the harshest conditions on Earth, enduring Antarctic winter temperatures of -60 C and wind speeds of 200 km/h. Males incubate the single egg on their feet under a brood pouch for about 65 days while fasting.
Great Blue Heron
The great blue heron is the largest heron in North America, standing up to 1.4 meters tall. These patient hunters can stand motionless for extended periods before striking at prey with remarkable speed. They nest in large colonies called heronries, often returning to the same site year after year.