Do Penguins Have Teeth?

Penguins are an enduring favorite in aquariums all over the world. Even videos are fun to watch, as penguins dive into the ocean or waddle along the shores of Antarctica. Although there are a number of interesting facts about penguins, one of the most intriguing tidbits of information has to do with how they eat. Since penguins are carnivorous birds, you may be wondering if penguins have teeth. The answer may be surprising.

Inside a Penguin’s Mouth

Penguins don’t have teeth. However, if you look at a picture of a penguin with its beak open, you’ll see rows of small, pointy growths on its tongue and the roof of its mouth. It’s easy to assume those are rows of teeth. Yet, they are actually serrated spines. These spines are called papillae. Papillae are made of keratin, which is the same material as our nails and hair.

These fleshy spines grow in rows and bend inward, toward the back of the penguin’s throat. This helps the penguin grip its prey while still allowing the prey to slide easily down the throat. In fact, a penguin purposely eats a fish head first, so its fins won’t get stuck on the way down. If a fish or other prey tries to escape, it will become caught on these serrated spines. Imagine a fish hook with a barb on the end — these barbed spines ensure a penguin doesn’t lose the prey it has worked so hard to capture.

What Do Penguins Eat?

As penguins are carnivorous, they eat a variety of small marine animals. They eat tiny crustaceans called krill, which look a lot like shrimp. Penguins also eat crabs, squid, and, of course, fish. Some penguins even eat cephalopods and jellyfish. Different species of penguins eat different kinds of fish. For instance, king penguins eat a large amount of herring, while Galapagos penguins eat mullet fish.

The size of a penguin has a lot to do with the size of the prey it eats. The largest type of penguin, the Emperor penguin, eats lantern fish that can grow to nearly 12 inches in length. Alternatively, small Humboldt penguins have a diet of sardines, which only measure a few inches long.

The diet of a penguin also depends on its habitat. Penguins that live in the Antarctic eat mostly krill, because that’s what is most plentiful in those cold waters. Penguins living in areas with more temperate water eat a large amount of fish.

How Do Penguins Chew Their Food Without Teeth?

Fortunately, penguins do not need to chew their food. The spines in their mouth allow them to swallow their prey whole. Yet, how do they digest a whole fish or squid? Penguin digestion is similar to that of other flightless birds. They do not have a crop to temporarily store and soften undigested food. However, they have a glandular stomach, called the proventriculus, that is large enough to function as the crop. This allows them to consume and hold larger amounts of food.

Some penguin species, such as the Adélie penguin, the emperor penguin, and the gentoo penguin, also swallow stones. The stones aid the gizzard in breaking down their prey so the food can be digested in the bird’s stomach. Over time, the pebbles wear down and eventually pass through the penguin’s digestive system.

How Does a Baby Penguin Take in Nourishment?

Young penguins, also called nestlings, are completely dependent on their parents for a few months to over a year, depending on the species. After swallowing prey, along with some pebbles to digest it, a parent feeds the nestlings. They do this by regurgitating, or throwing up, the prey they eat into the beaks and down the throats of their fuzzy nestlings.

Once the nestlings’ waterproof feathers come in, they are taught how to capture their own prey and eat pebbles to help them digest their food. Penguin young generally stay with their parents until they can survive independently.