An adult male emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) can reach 48 inches and weigh 80 lbs., while females are slightly smaller. The species features bright yellow patches on the head and neck and are endemic to Antarctica. Emperor penguins don't build nests, breeding on ice and laying a single egg. Males play a key role during the incubating period, while females are away to feed for about two months.
Close relatives to the emperor penguin, king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) are the second biggest species, with males reaching up to 3 feet in height and weighing 35 lbs. on average. They have bright orange patterns on the head and upper chest, and black to blue-gray back and wings. They live in subarctic islands, and like the emperor, they don't build nests, breeding on ice.
Found in New Zealand, the yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) is 30 inches tall and weighs about 14 lbs. With less than 4,000 individuals in the wild, the species is endangered and has a lifespan of about 22 years. The yellow-eyed penguin has pale yellow patterns on the head, but the species's most distinct feature is the yellow eyes, only present in adults.
This endangered penguin species lives in the Antipodes and Bounty Islands, in New Zealand. The erect-crested penguin (Eudyptes sclateri) can weigh up to 14 lbs. and measure 28 inches. It features a yellow eyebrow stripe, which also characterizes smaller species of the genus Eudyptes. Females lay two eggs, but only the second one is incubated.