Penguins’ black and white body keeps them away from predators when they are underwater. The predators cannot spot the penguins from any angle when they swim. Thus the black and white camouflage protects the flightless marine bird during their search of food in the water. The coloration provides penguins to find their prey as sneaky hunters.
This begs the question “Why are penguins white on the undersides?”
Coloured feathers are also more energetically costly to produce than white feathers, which could be another reason behind the colour of penguins. With regards to the other explanations for the penguins’ black backs – thermoregulation and protection from abrasion – it makes sense that the penguins’ undersides are white.
According to this idea, the black-and-white plumage helps penguins to be invisible to predators and prey alike. But… is that so? To answer this question, let’s go back to where this idea comes from.
Why do penguins have a black back?
Penguin’s black back plumage is much stronger than the white plumages on the bellies. The black back body can absorb more light energy and thus they huddle during heavy cold temperatures and stay warmer by hiding their white front. Penguins’ black and white body keeps them away from predators when they are underwater.
Energetic reasons Coloured feathers are also more energetically costly to produce than white feathers, which could be another reason behind the colour of penguins. With regards to the other explanations for the penguins’ black backs – thermoregulation and protection from abrasion – it makes sense that the penguins’ undersides are white.
Penguins have dense white-colored feathers on their belly and black color feathers on their back. Since they don’t have feathers on their wings, slimmer wings help them swim fast. They lack feathers on their feet which acts like wide paddles during swimming.
Why do penguins have black feathers?
Their feather pattern is a form of camouflage called countershading, which is used to help them hide them from predators as well as their prey in the water. Watch as our penguins swim over a black mat on the bottom of the exhibit, the black feathers blend in so well they seem to disappear!
At sea only the part of the plumage that faces the sun is black. And on land, the penguins generally lay down on their tummies or huddle together backs exposed. So the parts that play no role in absorbing radiation or withstanding the elements don’t need to be black.
Can a penguin be white?
Yes Sometimes – due to a quirk in the cells that tell a feather what color to be – a penguin can be totally white – or at least a pale creamy color. It won’t have any of the normal black feathers that make penguins so instantly recognizable.
What color is a Penguin’s Head?
They are black n white Typically, penguins do have a black head and back, but a white belly. Some kinds of Penguins also do have bright yellow parts in their face.