🐧 A behavioural distinction
The easiest difference to remember is the way they move.
Auks can fly. They use their wings to move through the air, like most birds. They can also swim.
Penguins, on the other hand, are unable to fly. They move about by walking on land and are excellent swimmers: their wings have evolved to function as true flippers.
🌍 A geographical distinction
Another major difference is their distribution across the globe.
Auks live in the Northern Hemisphere.
Penguins live exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere. Contrary to popular belief, not all penguins live in freezing cold conditions. Some species inhabit regions with relatively mild temperatures, particularly around sub-Antarctic islands such as the Kerguelen Islands or the Crozet Islands.
🧬 A specific distinction
Today, penguins are represented by just one species:
- The razorbill Alca torda, found along the coasts of the North Atlantic and occasionally observed in Brittany.
Note that the Great Auk did indeed exist, but it went extinct in 1844.
As for penguins, there are 18 species worldwide. Among the best known, eight iconic species live mainly in Antarctica and the neighbouring islands:
- Emperor penguin
- King penguin
- Gentoo penguin
- Magellanic penguin
- Chinstrap penguin
- Adélie penguin
- Macaroni penguin
- Southern rockhopper penguin
The emperor penguin is the largest of all (about 120 cm), while the southern rockhopper penguin is among the smallest (about 55 cm). As its name suggests, it is capable of jumping very high and builds its nest on steep cliffs thanks to its great agility.
🔍 A taxonomic distinction
Scientific classification confirms that these are distinct groups:
Auks belong to the family Alcidae, the same family as puffins, for example.
Penguins, for their part, belong to the family Spheniscidae.
✏️📚 Suggested classroom activities:
1. 🗺️ Mapping activity (from cycle 2 onward)
“Objective: understand the geographical distribution of auks and penguins.
Materials: world map or globe.
Procedure:
- Locate the Northern and Southern Hemispheres on a world map.
- Place the distribution ranges of auks and penguins.
- Point out that some penguins live in temperate regions, such as the sub-Antarctic islands.
- Discuss the impact of climate on biodiversity (the distribution of species in relation to climate trends, global warming, etc.).
2. 🐧 Anatomy and function (from cycle 3 onward)
Objective: to understand the differences in movement between auks and penguins through their anatomy.
Materials: pictures or drawings of penguins.
Procedure:
- Look at pictures or diagrams of penguins.
- Link their characteristics to their functions: waterproof plumage for swimming (air bubbles often escape from their plumage, a sign that water runs off it), a layer of fat and dense plumage for thermal insulation, and wings adapted into flippers, suited to swimming.
- Compare with photos of auks or other birds that can fly.
3. ☀️🌡️❄️ Adaptations to extreme climates (from cycle 3 onward)
Objective: to observe the adaptations of animals living in very cold or very hot environments.
Materials: pictures of animals adapted to cold climates (polar bears, penguins, arctic foxes, etc.) and to warm climates (elephants, fennec foxes, camels, etc.).
Procedure:
- Observe animals adapted to the cold and identify the features that help minimise heat loss (short limbs, small or no ears, a small nose, short paws, etc.).
- Observe animals adapted to hot climates and identify the features that help them dissipate heat (large ears, long legs, etc.).
- Compare the two types of adaptation.