Penguins are aquatic, flightless, birds. They are covered in mainly black and white feathers. They have two small holes that work like ears. Penguins also have a beak/bill that houses spiky spines that lead food into the throat. They have wings, but they are rather small, and are used for swimming rather than flying. They have very short legs, and so they waddle around instead of walking. They also have claws on their webbed feet. Their feet allow them to swim better. They are counter shaded, as in their black backs make them blend into the ocean when looked at from above, and their white bellies blend in with the water's surface when looked at from below.
The Anatomy and physiology of a penguin
This section describes the anatomy and physiology of a penguin.