What are penguins' physical adaptations?

Penguins have evolved specialized feet for swimming and wings that have evolved from flight to swimming, as well as an extremely thick layer of fat to keep them warm and to provide buoyancy when they are in the water.

The emperor penguin females lay their eggs on the feet of their males, and the males stand for months without food packed in a group. They have developed a joint survival technique whereby they take turns standing at the border of the packed group. The fat is important because it also acts as a long-term energy storage for when males stand in groups for several months to wait for eggs to hatch.

Penguins have several physical adaptations for their environment, including:

• A streamlined body shape for efficient swimming
• Flippers for steering and propulsion in water
• Waterproof feathers to keep them dry and insulated
• Dense bones to reduce buoyancy and aid diving
• Specialized nasal glands to excrete excess salt from seawater