Many people believe that Penguins feed only on fish because of how penguins are depicted in some animations and TV shows.

However, the fact is, Penguins Eat more than fish. If you are curious about what penguins eat, you have come to the right place. In this article, you’ll learn more about a penguin’s diet and what they love to eat the most.

What Do Penguins Eat: The Penguin’s Diet

A typical penguin’s diet consists of krill, squids, and fish. Krill are eaten by the smaller species, squids can be eaten by both small and larger species and while fish can be eaten by both. How much they consume however is dependent on the weight and size of the penguin.

How Do Penguins Eat?

Being hunters they typically hunt, catch their prey with their bills, and swallow it while swimming. They have a spiny tongue and powerful Jaws, which helps them grip slippery prey easily. This attribute is what makes it easier for the penguin to catch its prey.

How Often Do Penguins Eat?

Penguins are very strategic hunters. How frequently a penguin eats is dependent on the season or time of the year. For instance, during the summer, they hunt and can consume two pounds of food daily.

What Fish Do Penguins Eat?

Although it is general knowledge that penguins eat fish, the types of fish they eat are loosely restricted to lantern fish, silverfish, sprats, pilchards, anchovies, opal fish, and they feed on other small fish or sea creatures.

Also read: Are Penguins Dangerous? Can They Harm or Kill Humans?

Are Penguins Carnivores?

Penguins are flightless flesh-eating birds which means they’re basically carnivorous. To survive, a penguin depends on a diet of squid, krill, fish, and other small seafood. In the wild, penguins depend solely on their hunting skills for survival.

Do Penguins Eat Plants?

Penguins are carnivorous, and all 18 species of penguins feed on sea creatures. Studies have shown that these flightless birds’ bodies aren’t adapted to digesting plants. Since their body can’t digest plants, penguins cannot eat plants.

Also read: Are Penguins Friendly? Do They Like Humans?

Do Penguins Get All Their Food From Water?

Penguins get all their food from the water. Many wonder how penguins find food, especially in the dark depths of the ocean. This is possible thanks to their excellent eyesight and keen vision, enabling them to spot prey even in low light.

What Do Baby Penguins Eat?

Baby Penguin feeds on regurgitated food like fish, krill, or squid. The adult penguin eats the raw fish and does the majority of the digestion before regurgitating and feeding it to their young.

How Do Penguins Feed Their Young?

Penguin feeding process starts with the adult hunting for food. If successful, it then swallows the food and stores it for a while to digest before bringing the food back from its stomach and feeding its young in a bill-to-bill process.