What is the difference between a penguin and a puffin

While there are small and large penguins, puffins are mostly on the smaller size. A puffin weighs less than a pound while the emperor penguins can weigh as much as 66 pounds. Their beaks also set them apart from each other. Puffins have large and colorful beaks that are used for chomping down on fish.

The beaks of puffins continue to grow through their life and the beaks develop attractive colors during the mating season to attract potential mates. Penguin beaks are usually more pointed and used for quickly grabbing and swallowing fish. Emperor penguins have yellow-orange patches near their neck and ears.

Other penguins like rockhopper penguins have attractive colors on their feathers to make them look distinct. Diet — In the Antarctic region, penguins live on a diet of fish, krill, and small crustaceans.

Puffins also eat fish as well as herring, hake, and sand eels. The diets of puffins vary as per the availability of food and the population of puffins in the area.

Until a penguin takes to the air, or a puffin performs underwater acrobatics, we'll have to call it a draw. Like bagels and doughnuts, you can't really judge which reigns supreme. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close. Mobile Newsletter chat close.

Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. Prev NEXT. Wild Animals. Miscellaneous Birds. They are also known as Fratercula.

Penguins are birds that are also aquatic birds. They cannot fly, due to which they are flightless birds. They are generally found in the Sothern Hemisphere. They are available in eighteen other species. They love to swim, due to which they are great swimmers. They adapt to this water habit. They are available in temperate zones and sometimes near the equator.

Few species can survive in the southern hemisphere. Emperor penguin is the largest species available. The penguin, which is the smallest, is called a fairy penguin.

These are also known as little blue penguins. They are found in Antarctica. The penguins, which are large and heavy, are mostly found in the southern hemisphere because they can live in extreme conditions in the southern hemisphere. The Penguin word was used in the 16th century. It is sometimes used as a synonym for great auk. The word first appeared in Dutch or English. The word can be related to the Latin word Pinguis. The word means oil or fat. Therefore, the predators cannot easily see them as well as their prey items cannot evade them.

Penguins have specialized eyes, which are adapted to encompass the underwater vision. Their thick insulating feathers keep them warm in the cold waters, to ensure the physiological processes inside the bodies. Penguins can drink the seawater, as they are adapted to prevent the salts being added into the blood stream. Most of the penguins breed in large colonies, and they appear as monogamous pairs during the breeding season.

Puffins are small birds living in the North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans. There are three species of puffins belong to one genus, Fratercula. They form large colonies of birds on either coastal cliffs or offshore islands.