King Penguin

Aptenodytes patagonicus Miller, JF, 1778

King Penguin, Aptenodytes patagonicus, is a penguin of the Southern Ocean, breeding on subantarctic island beaches from Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands to South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, Prince Edward, Crozet, Kerguelen, Heard and Macquarie islands. Outside the breeding season it ranges mostly around the Antarctic Convergence, reaching subantarctic New Zealand islands, the southern tip of South America and the Antarctic Peninsula. It is the second largest penguin and is smaller than, though rather like, the Emperor Penguin. It was described by Miller, JF, in 1778.

Order

Sphenisciformes

Family

Spheniscidae — Penguins

Breeding range

Southern Ocean: subantarctic is. beaches: Tierra del Fuego, Falkland Is., South Georgia, South Sandwich Is. (sw South Atlantic), Prince Edward, Crozet, Kerguelen and Heard is. (sw, se South Indian), Macquarie I. (far se of Australia, sw South Pacific)

Nonbreeding range

mostly around Antarctic Convergence; to subantarctic New Zealand is., s tip of South America and Antarctic Pen.