Erect-crested Penguin vs King Penguin
Eudyptes sclateri compared with Aptenodytes patagonicus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Erect-crested Penguin | King Penguin |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Eudyptes sclateri | Aptenodytes patagonicus |
| Order | Sphenisciformes | Sphenisciformes |
| Family | Spheniscidae | Spheniscidae |
| Conservation Status | Endangered | Least Concern |
| Length | — | 95.0 cm (37.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 22.3 cm (8.8 in) | 64.0 cm (25.2 in) |
| Weight | 5529.0 g (195.03 oz) | 14000.0 g (493.84 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Primarily lanternfish and squid caught during deep dives. Routinely dives to 100-300 meters, sometimes exceeding … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
King Penguin
Breeds on sub-Antarctic islands with flat or gently sloping beaches. Forages in the Southern Ocean.
Song & Call Comparison
Erect-crested Penguin
King Penguin
Uses individually unique complex calls for mate and chick recognition in noisy colonies. Produces a loud, musical trumpeting. Chick whistles are distinctive per family unit.
Geographic Range & Migration
Erect-crested Penguin
King Penguin
Sub-Antarctic islands including South Georgia, Crozet, Kerguelen, Macquarie, and Falkland Islands.
Conservation Status
Erect-crested Penguin
King Penguin
How to Tell Them Apart
Erect-crested Penguin
King Penguin
Dark blue-grey back with white belly. Vivid orange-gold auricular patches on the sides of the head and upper breast. Silvery-grey upperparts.
Long, slender, slightly decurved bill with orange mandible plates
About These Birds
Erect-crested Penguin
Erect-crested Penguin, 67–70 cm, breeds only on Bounty and Antipodes Islands southeast of New Zealand. Distinctive erect, brush-like yellow crest standing upright from eye to crown. Forages at sea for fish and squid; breeding biology poorly known due to remote location. Endangered; declining.
King Penguin
The king penguin is the second-largest penguin species, known for its striking orange-gold head markings. Unlike most penguins, king penguins do not build nests — they incubate their single egg on their feet. Their 14-16 month breeding cycle is the longest of any penguin species.