U.S. flag An official website of the United States government.

dot gov icon Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

https icon Secure websites use HTTPS

A small lock or https:// means you’ve safely connected to a .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Can penguins fly?

No, technically penguins cannot fly.

A group of Antarctic Gentoo penguins

A group of Antarctica's Gentoo penguins follow a well-worn path to their nesting area from the sea where they go to feed.

Penguins are birds, so they do have wings. However, the wing structures of penguins are evolved for swimming, rather than flying in the traditional sense. Penguins swim underwater at speeds of up to 15 to 25 miles per hour.

As adept swimmers, penguins spend a lot of time in the water. Some penguins spend up to 75 percent of their lives in the water. Like other birds, penguins do lay eggs and they raise their chicks on land.

All penguins live in the Southern Hemisphere.

Get Social

More Information

Last updated: 01/18/24
Author: NOAA
How to cite this article

Contact Us