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When we talk about animals, we often talk about them like they're all the same thing, like elephants or giraffes or spiders or even rats. But for almost any animal you can think of, there are actually many separate kinds, or species, and they can be really different even though they're all the same type of animal. 

Take for example one of the world's most interesting, and cutest, sorts of birds - penguins! They're birds! That can't fly. And they usually live near water because they spend a lot of their time hunting for fish and other things that live in the ocean. Also, they all live in the southern hemisphere. Those are important things to have in common, but that doesn't mean that all penguins look like this.

The fact is, there are at least 18 different species of penguins and they can be found many places, and they each look and even act a little different from one another. Some of the coolest penguins are probably ones you've never even heard of, so let's meet 'em.

First off, Australia and New Zealand - home to the tiniest of the penguins. Meet the little blue penguin. Its name comes from the fact that its well, little, and kinda blueish. It's sometimes called the fairy penguin. These minis are the smallest species of penguins in the world. They stand about 30 centimeters tall which is around the size of the average sheet of paper, and they weigh about 1 kilogram, not much more than a big heavy book. 

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I know, adorable! Little blue penguins live in big groups called colonies, and each pair of mother and father penguins digs its own burrow, or underground nest. These little guys stay in their colonies year round going out to hunt for fish during the day, and then walking back to their burrows after the sun sets. In some places in Australia and New Zealand, you can even visit a little blue penguin colony in the evening and watch the penguins parade back home. 

Now, let's meet another colorful penguin from New Zealand. Say hi to the yellow-eyed penguin. Besides the light color of its eyes, there's another unique thing about this bird - where it lives. All penguins have to live close to a body of water where they hunt for food. In cold places, penguins often live on thick sheets of ice. In warm places, many penguins live on sandy beaches. Now the yellow-eyed penguin does spend some of its time on the beach, but it mostly lives in the woods. 

When it's not hunting in the beach or in the water, the yellow-eyed penguin lives in the forest along New Zealand's coast. It builds its nest against rocks or tree trunks to get protection from bad weather and predators. How cool would it be to see a penguin waddling through the woods! 

Now let's head on over to Africa to meet our next penguin - the African penguin. Unlike most penguins, the African penguin, sometimes called the black footed penguin, doesn't need to worry about freezing temperatures. That's because it lives on the islands and shores between Namibia and South Africa where it can get really hot. Another cool thing about African penguins, is that they sound a whole lot like a very different kind of animal. The loud noises they make have often been compared to the call of a donkey. Wow! Who knew penguins could be so different from one another. 

Well now you do! And the best part is there are still so many more penguins for you to learn about. Like the royal penguin, or the rockhopper penguin, or the macaroni penguin. So what are you waiting for, go check 'em out yourself! Ask your local library for books about different kinds of animals, or look 'em up on the Internet. And if you live where penguins do, help us learn more! And let us know all about them. Thanks guys, and we'll see you next time on SciShow Kids!

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