Penguin Feathers
A penguin's plumage is the densest of any bird family. They have feathers all over their body, except their bill and feet. The silky outer surface helps to reduce friction. The outer feathers overlap tightly like fish scales, protecting a layer in which air is trapped for insulation. The insulation has evolved to keep penguins warm in both air and water. In warm weather, penguins are in serious danger of overheating. When penguins molt, new feathers push out the old. Right before molting, their feathers are faded from the sun and exposure to saltwater. In some colonies we visited, parts of the ground were covered with a lot of molted penguin feathers. The long primary and secondary feathers that most birds have play no part in underwater locomotion, so penguins have neither. Their wing area is small and narrow, which is ideal for swimming. Most of these feathers at Saint Andrews on South Georgia Island probably belonged to King Penguins.
Penguin Feathers
A penguin's plumage is the densest of any bird family. They have feathers all over their body, except their bill and feet. The silky outer surface helps to reduce friction. The outer feathers overlap tightly like fish scales, protecting a layer in which air is trapped for insulation. The insulation has evolved to keep penguins warm in both air and water. In warm weather, penguins are in serious danger of overheating. When penguins molt, new feathers push out the old. Right before molting, their feathers are faded from the sun and exposure to saltwater. In some colonies we visited, parts of the ground were covered with a lot of molted penguin feathers. The long primary and secondary feathers that most birds have play no part in underwater locomotion, so penguins have neither. Their wing area is small and narrow, which is ideal for swimming. Most of these feathers at Saint Andrews on South Georgia Island probably belonged to King Penguins.