#are penguins classified as birds?

[lynxthewolf1]

Rock Dove! I also like penguins not sure if those count as birds though

pssttt if you see this post tell me what your favorite bird is

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Okay, so The Everyday Naturalist is up on the Ten Speed Press and Penguin/Random House's websites (and various other public places), so I can FINALLY show you the cover!!! I have been saying for months that this book is going to be absolutely beautiful (in addition to informative!), and now you get a good taste of that. Ricardo Macia Lalinde is an incredibly skilled artist whose natural history studies will grace not only the cover but the interior of the book; I feel incredibly fortunate to have his work included in this project.

Here's a bit more about the book itself: "If you’ve ever consulted a field guide to identify a new bird at your feeder, you know the process isn’t as easy as it sounds. In fact, it seems like you have to know a lot about that mystery bird to even figure out where to start.

"The Everyday Naturalist fills in the gaps by explaining what traits to pay attention to when encountering a new species; how and when to use field guides, apps, and other resources; what to do if you get stuck; and more. Rather than focusing on one region or continent, these skills and tools are designed to help you classify nature anywhere you are—whether on familiar territory, traveling, or in a new home."

The book has officially gone to press with a release date of June 17, 2025. Which means in half a year we can all have physical copies in hand! I haven't yet been able to talk to the marketing folks at the publisher to find out whether I can personally take preorders for signed copies, but I'll keep you posted--in the meantime you can preorder at the bookstore of your choice, online or brick and mortar.

[crossdreamers]

Is the penguin Maggie/Magnus a gay male or a trans female?

It took some time for staff at Birdland Park and Gardens, in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, to realize that the penguin Maggie was in fact biological male.

In some ways Maggie behaved like a female king penguin, even trying to incubate a leaf. Maggie's mating behavior with the male penguin Frank, however, made the staff curious.

A DNA test confirmed that Maggie had ZZ chromosomes (indicating that they are biological male, unlike female birds, who have ZW chromosomes).

It says a lot about peoples' reliance on traditional categories when Pink News concludes that Maggie is a "gay male". Both Metro and BBC claim the park has misgendered Maggie for eight years. The park staff has even renamed the penguin Magnus.

There is, of course, no way we can know what Maggie/Magnus really feels about sex and gender. But an equally meaningful explanation for this behavior is that they are a transgender female. Fortunately Maggie/Magnus does not care about the human obsession with biological sex.

By the way, another Birdland penguin, Bill, classified as male turned out to be biological female. "We always know," some transphobes say. Never!

See also: Zookeepers rename “female” penguin after animal reveals surprising secret After long wait for an egg, keepers discover Maggie the penguin is male (Archived here)

Photo: Penguins at Birdland in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire

[boredthoughts]

Typing this at 5 am after reading a ton shit of Humans are orc extravaganza so this has been stuck in my mind for a while now.

Humans are already fucked up and just CAN get worst.

You know how plenty and mostly like most species of the galaxy can half agree that humans are unpredictable creatures living in extreme features to live, eat and sleep and all.

The advance gap between their technology and knowledge, Yet also their species and differences.

They can be sweet and oh so kind that it's blinding to see their true nature. Who would've thought there are also so called "Unstable" humans as well that are said to have mental issues, emotional issues.

They can be aggressive to all kinds around them and CAN get worst by turning into a full carnivore or what they call a 'cannibal' to eat 'their' kinds specifically just for satisfaction or survival.

There are those emotionally unstable enough that it affects their physical sense and abilities, which goes the same for the earlier explained ones, To the point it drives them insane.

Humans explained thus why these sessions so called 'therapy' exists to call and check with one's stability and sanity.

Even places or what humans built called 'prison' or 'jails' are there to tame or cage the ones that are already broken or unaccepted by the society. There were once two humans that debated that humans technically ARE animals (ahem, living or the other species they contain in their native planet) to the point it offended the other saying it hated the fact of them being compared to what they call an 'Adélie penguin?' (Some kind of birds classified as Aves or what not) and Dolphins.

I do not have the ability to learn more about what those two other animals are and their distinct species, But I do not think I would want any more further recollection.

[chrenvs3000w24]

Science in Nature Interpretation

Even though there is no prompt for this weeks blog posts, I felt that the title of the unit resonated with me. Science has always been a major passion of mine, and science is likely one of the most common mediums for nature interpretation. There are many different fields of scientific discovery fully focused on the natural world, such as ecology, zoology, botany and more. Even anthropology has roots in different natural environments, where a anthropologist must acknowledge the environment a culture grows in. As there are so many different fields, an important aspect of science must be to maintain a consistent nomenclature of understanding. Names of things must be the same regardless of field, so that when a scientist or anyone for that matter reads a paper, they can immediately distinguish what they are talking about. Their is an elegance to this work, differing fields each have their own societies of experts that decide on the proper names. Almost all of these fields follow some kind of Linnaean classification, which follows a hierarchy of levels of relatedness. This allows for the very large pool of plants, animals, and fungi alike to be classified efficiently. However, this wasn't always the case. Taxonomy, or the study of classification could be considered one of the oldest forms of science. It was first practiced by Aristotle, who separated living things into two categories, plants and animals. This classification was taken and advanced by his students, to give us more and more in depth analysis of their anatomies and histories. Some used these classifications to prop up and put down certain species, claiming some more primitive than others. This shows something that is very common throughout human history, it is almost human nature to classify everything into various categories and boxes. We saw this in the privilege section of the blog, where some people can be looked over due to preconceived boxes we have put them in. But these boxes are usually surface level, there is commonly much more to get the whole picture. One such example is from the TED talk "for the Love of Birds", where Washington Wachira highlights the many differences of feathermakers. He mentions that only one class of animals on earth can make feathers, birds. But as the talk continues, he goes over the many ways that birds are different. From the vulture to the bald eagle to the guinea fowl to the penguin, all of these animals are within the same bird classification, and yet all of them are majorly different. This brings me back to my main love of science, as it cannot always be interpreted the same way. In the way that science wants to classify things into categories, those categories cannot always be the same for everyone. The take home message from this idea, is that the scientific lens will not always hold the correct interpretation of nature, and it is important to constantly be thinking outside of the boxes.

[studebakerhearse]

Reading that Batman issue where Penguin’s causing crime diversions via extinct *bird animatronics (mislabels archaeopteryx and pterosaurs as birds, the latter due to the discovery that some had warm blood, but with more recent information it’s found that may be only limited to certain species and are still classified as an order of reptiles which modern birds didn’t descend from) and I’m so amused by the footnotes under the species that aren’t capable of flight being like “Yeah we know this, the Penguin just made it so that the 7 foot tall beast with tiny wings could fly. You’re reading a comic book”

[nanas-45]

Feathers and Flight: Unveiling the World of Birds

Birds, the amazing warm-blooded vertebrates that we often see flitting around our backyards, belong to the class Aves. These fascinating creatures are distinguished by their feathers, toothless beaks, and the laying of hard-shelled eggs. Birds exhibit an incredible range of sizes, from the tiny 5.5 cm (2.2 in) bee hummingbird to the towering 2.8 m (9 ft 2 in) common ostrich. With over 11,000 living species, more than half are passerines, commonly known as "perching" birds.

The Evolution of Wings and Flight

Birds are equipped with wings—modified forelimbs that allowed many to conquer the skies. While some species, like the extinct moa and elephant birds, lost their wings over time, others, like penguins and various island species, evolved wings adapted for swimming or other specific functions. Their unique respiratory and digestive systems are perfectly tailored for flight.

Dinosaurs Among Us

Did you know? Birds are actually feathered dinosaurs and represent the only living lineage of these ancient creatures. Modern birds are descendants of primitive avialans like Archaeopteryx, which first appeared during the Late Jurassic. They evolved and diversified significantly around the time of the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, which wiped out all non-avian dinosaurs.

Social Creatures and Cultural Icons

Birds are not just incredible for their physical adaptations; they also showcase fascinating social behaviors. Many species exhibit complex communication through calls and songs, participate in cooperative breeding, flocking, and even mobbing predators. Most birds form monogamous pairs for at least a breeding season, although some have polygamous or polyandrous systems.

Economic and Cultural Importance

Birds play crucial roles in human economies and cultures. They are sources of food, feathers, and guano (used as fertilizer). Songbirds and parrots are beloved pets, and birdwatching has become a popular pastime, contributing to ecotourism. Unfortunately, human activities have driven about 120 to 130 bird species to extinction since the 17th century, and many more are currently at risk. Conservation efforts are ongoing to protect these remarkable creatures.

The Classification of Birds

The study of birds, known as ornithology, dates back to the early classifications by Francis Willughby and John Ray in 1676, with Carl Linnaeus refining the system in 1758. Birds are classified under the class Aves and are part of the clade Theropoda. While traditional definitions of Aves included all descendants of the most recent common ancestor of modern birds and Archaeopteryx, a more recent definition focuses solely on the crown group of modern birds and their closest extinct relatives.

[ainews]

Penguins, the iconic black and white aquatic birds, are flocking to salons and spas for makeovers, according to recent reports.

The birds may be officially classified as waddling animals, but that doesn't mean they aren't interested in looking their best. An increasing number of salons are offering specialized treatments for the birds that include specialized haircuts and nail treatments.

The growth in penguin makeovers can be attributed in part to the public's increased awareness of penguins -- especially due to media exposure in media such as documentaries, movies, and television shows. Increased interest in penguins as a result of this exposure has prompted people to take better care of their penguin companions, which is likely driving sales in the professional penguin spa and salon industry.

In addition to providing important care and maintenance services for the birds, the new makeovers are sure to be a hit with the birds themselves. Penguins are known to be highly social animals, and visiting the salon, being pampered, and feeling good about their new looks can be a great morale boost for the birds.

The industry has even reached a point where some salons offer shirts and bow ties for the birds, transforming them into fashionistas.

It looks like penguins are really waddling their way into the spotlight.

[robertfalconscott]

cannot believe it’s come to this but it looks like i’m gonna have to defend bilson’s honor after my casual affectionate slander spread the misconception that he was a bad artist.

his subjects tended to be plants & animals, especially birds (naturally, since he was an ornithologist), and landscapes. it's hard to classify his work strictly as either art or scientific illustration. he had a really impressive skill when it came to accurately capturing what he saw. from scott on the discovery expedition: "In addition to the drawings of land, pack, icebergs and Barrier, the primary object of which was scientific and geographical, Wilson has left a number of paintings of atmospheric phenomena which are not only scientifically accurate but are also exceedingly beautiful. Of such are the records of auroral displays, parhelions, paraselene, lunar halos, fog bows, irridescent clouds, refracted images of mountains and mirage generally. If you look at a picture of a parhelion by Wilson not only can you be sure that the mock suns, circles and shafts appeared in the sky as they are shown on paper, but you can also rest assured that the number of degrees between, say, the sun and the outer ring of light were in fact such as he has represented them. You can also be certain in looking at his pictures that if cirrus cloud is shown, then cirrus and not stratus cloud was in the sky: if it is not shown, then the sky was clear. It is accuracy such as this which gives an exceptional value to work viewed from a scientific standpoint."

painting of cheltenham, where he was from, made in 1895

primrose illustration 1896

emperor penguins painted on the discovery expedition, 1904

in antarctica, where it was too cold to paint with watercolors outside, he had a technique where he would sketch a scene and quickly jot down the names of the colors so he could paint them later. he had an incredible memory for color. apsley cherry-garrard describes his process in worst journey in the world: "He sketched quickly with bare fingers and mittened hands, jotting down the outlines of hills and clouds, and pencilling in the colours by name. After a minute, more or less, the fingers become too cold for such work, and they must be put back into the wool and fur mitts until they are again warm enough to continue. Pencil and sketch book, a Winsor and Newton, were carried in a little blubber-stained wallet on his belt."

painting of an iceberg off cape evans done in 1911

paraselene, 1911

view of hut point from observation hill, also 1911

you can find more of his work on the spri & cheltenham museum websites. they really are beautiful, in my opinion no other artist has depicted antarctica with so much reverence.

look. he even learned how to paint a seal.

on january 6 1902 edward adrian wilson drew the shittiest seal known to man

[cornfields-td-nonsense]

what's Lydia's and Allison's respective favorite autism fact (YK like that one hyperspecific fact that u tell at every party when the conversation gets rly slow)

Allison enjoys telling people that when penguins were first documented, they were classified as a breed of fish, not birds

while Lydia's anecdote about that time the entire earth froze over some number of billion years ago always gets a reaction at parties

[rabbitcruiser]

World Penguin Day 

Volunteer to help and educate the world about penguins, the adorable flightless birds of the Southern Hemisphere that face dangers from melting ice caps and more.

Penguins are some of the most adorable, lovable and impressive creatures in the animal kingdom, so why not dedicate a day to these flightless birds?

World Penguin Day is a celebratory and educative initiative that encourages people to learn more about penguins and their environment, how important they are to our ecosystems and the threats they face. Interested in learning more about this day? Then let’s dive in!

The particulars of penguins

These distinctive black and white birds are highly adapted to aquatic life, their wings have evolved into flippers and their excellent swimming abilities allowing most species to dive around 200m deep, with emperor penguins even reaching depths of 500m! They’re camouflaged to protect against predators from above and below, and their glossy feathers trap air to both keep them warm and help them stay afloat.

It’s practically impossible to look at a penguin and feel angry.

Penguins vary quite significantly in size, from the large emperor penguin, reaching heights of over 1m, to the little blue penguin, coming in at just over 30cm tall. In ancient times there were even giant species of penguin that grew almost 2m high and weighed 80kg!

Found all over the Southern Hemisphere, from Antarctica to the Galápagos Islands, penguins are famous for their endearing waddles, their dedicated chick hatching efforts and, for those based in icy climates, their trick of huddling to stay warm. They’re even known to enjoy a spot of tobogganing, gliding on their bellies over the ice!

History of World Penguin Day

World Penguin Day takes place during the annual northern migration of Adélie penguins, a species of penguin that is native to Antarctica. Adélie penguins migrate north to have better access to food during the winter months when the sea ice expands and then, during the summer, return to the coastal beaches of Antarctica to build their nests.

This annual celebration of penguins was created at McMurdo Station, an American research center on Ross Island. Researchers noticed that the Adélie penguins began their migration around this day each year, and so they founded World Penguin Day as a way to mark the occasion and raise awareness of these creatures.

While the day originated from the Adélie penguin’s migration habits, it celebrates all species of penguin and highlights the plight of these water-loving creatures. Of the 17 or so species around today (the total number of species varies depending on how you classify them, but there are at least 17 and possibly as many as 20!), sadly 10 of them have been deemed endangered or vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and 3 are considered near threatened.

Penguins spend up to three quarters of their lives out at sea and are reliant on the oceans for food. Overfishing and pollution such as plastic and oil spills therefore pose a real threat to these birds and have contributed to decreasing populations, which in turn has a knock-on effect on the wider ecosystem. And for those species based in the Antarctic (the emperor penguin and the Adélie penguin), climate change is shrinking the sea ice, which not only impinges on their habitat but can also impact chick hatching times and the availability of food.

World Penguin Day encourages people to appreciate these amazing animals and take note of the plights they face. Penguin lovers may choose to help make a difference by working to protect the ocean, prevent pollution and tackle climate change, for example by advocating against the burning of fossil fuels.

Penguins in popular culture

Given how widely loved they are, it’s no wonder that penguins frequently feature in popular culture!

Various movies have starred these birds – Happy Feet depicts a tap-dancing chick called Mumble and has a crucial environmental message at its heart, while, as part of Dreamwork’s Madagascar franchise, there is both a Penguins of Madagascar movie and also a TV series, which follow the adventures of four penguins from Central Park Zoo.

These southerly inhabitants are also big in kids’ entertainment, for example the children’s book Mr. Popper’s Penguins, now also a film adaptation starring Jim Carey, and the TV series Pingu, which features a whole host of penguins speaking in the nonsense language ‘Penguinese’. There’s also the villainous penguin, Feathers McGraw, in the Wallace and Gromit franchise, who initially hides his criminal ways by disguising himself as a chicken!

How to celebrate World Penguin Day

World Penguin Day is the perfect chance to learn more about these fantastic and fascinating creatures. Read up on the different species of penguin around the world and dig out some fun facts to share with your friends and family. Documentaries are a great way to see these animals in action, so why not check out a classic such as March of the Penguins, which follows the grueling trek of emperor penguins in Antarctica, or Penguins, which sees Steve, an Adélie penguin, start his own family and overcome a variety of perils.

If you have time, take a trip to your local zoo – they’re bound to have some penguins in their care, and some establishments even allow visitors to take part in feeding time by throwing fish to the peckish birds. Consider donating to the zoo’s conservation efforts or to those of a non-profit organization that you trust such as the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) or the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition. You could even adopt a penguin and receive regular updates on how they’re getting on!

Penguins are pretty funny animals, especially when it comes to their general awkwardness on land, so be sure to have a laugh this World Penguin Day by checking out some video compilations of their exciting escapades and charming clumsiness! You could also get into costume – a great way to get kids involved – by dressing in penguin colors or whacking on a penguin suit (either a real costume or the classic black dinner jacket, white shirt and bowtie) and having a waddle!And if you really want to channel your inner penguin, then take a trip to your local swimming pool and practice your speed, agility and diving technique. Whichever way you decide to celebrate, be sure to share this day on your favorite social media websites and spread the penguin love with everyone you know!

Source

[chopnews]

World Penguin Day: In honor of World Penguin Day, the Al Ain Zoo has stated that it would emphasize its initiatives to safeguard and conserve penguins. Al Ain Zoo Celebrates World Penguin Day [caption id="attachment_222631" align="aligncenter" width="629"] world penguine day[/caption] 88 Humboldt penguins, a species that is listed on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, are now living in the zoo. The zoo's continued dedication to penguin conservation is demonstrated by the numerous training programs it has put in place to ensure the highest levels of care and advance the welfare of the animals. Initiatives that promote positive behavior and involvement in social interactions are part of these programs. The opportunity to feed the penguins, which enables visitors to the zoo to view the birds up close and snap priceless pictures, is a special highlight for visitors. Along with this encounter, the zoo also offers educational material about penguins, the difficulties they encounter in the wild, and strategies for saving them from extinction. Al Ain Zoo also undertakes a number of other wildlife conservation programs in addition to its efforts to conserve penguins. The Biodiversity Study Programme, which classifies animal species and keeps tabs on migrating birds and butterflies, is one of the most prominent of them. A bigger number of birds have settled at the zoo, showing that they regard Al Ain Zoo as a new resting spot, and the program has been successful in observing new species.

[tomreputation]

Tom: What do you take me for? Some oddball begging, “Zendaya, Zendaya, do chat with me about why penguins are classified as birds despite their lack of flight.” No, it should be perfectly ordinary. It’s just two exes having a natter, no need for any awkwardness.

zendaya: not really an adventure? zendaya: do you want to order food or anything? this isn't going to be a weird talk zendaya: is it?

[bitchapalooza]

Hetalia characters but they're Creature Intersection

America: Dog(golden retriever), Jock

Canada: Bear, Normal

North Italy: Sheep, Lazy

South Italy: Wolf, Cranky

Seborga: Cat, Peppy

China: Rabbit, Snooty

England: Lion, Smug

Sealand: Bear cub, Smug

France: Chicken, Snooty

Portugal: Bull, Normal

Spain: Goat, Peppy

Norway: Mouse, Normal

Iceland: Penguin(Puffin), Normal*

Denmark: Deer, Jock

Sweden: Bear, Normal

Finland: Squirrel, Peppy

Ladonia: Bear cub(robot), Lazy

Estonia: Horse, Lazy

Latvia: Hamster, Normal

Lithuania: Bird, Smug

Seychelles: Penguin, Peppy

Russia: Bear, Snooty

Ukraine: Duck, Sisterly

Belarus: Sheep, Cranky

Romania: Horse, Smug

Moldova: Hamster, Peppy

Switzerland: Rabbit, Cranky

Liechtenstein: Duck, Sisterly

Germany: Eagle, Cranky

Prussia: Wolf, Smug

Austria: Octopus, Smug

Hungary: Tiger, Jock

Japan: Bird, Normal

Belgium: Deer, Sisterly

Netherlands: Ostrich, Cranky

Luxembourg: Goat, Smug

[badartxd]

I CAME AS SOON AS I HEARD AND I HAVE QUESTIONS HI HELLO For Yara whom I absolutely MUST know more about:

🍑: What sort of traits does your OC look for in a Significant Other? 🌽: How does this OC feel about acts of affection? What's their favourite act of affection, physical or emotional? 🍻: What's your OC's favourite comfort ritual? How do they calm themselves down after a rough day? 🍟: What does your OC admit to be their guilty pleasure? What actually is their guilty pleasure?

doesn't have to be all of these, though uhhh if I get even the slightest encouragement I will be back with more please and thank you

AAAAA TYSM SRSLY THESE GIVE ME LIFE!!🥺💚

🍑: What sort of traits does your OC look for in a Significant Other?

Yara has never looked per se, as she was matched to a fellow nobleman as a child. It would be fair to say that she did not like the boy, though.

After ending up on her own, she was too busy to look too, and being somewhere on the grey aroace spectrum, she never was interested in seeking companionship. Trying to pass as a man didn’t give anyone the inclination to pursue her, either.

Back in the Circle, she’d probably be a bit more likely to consider companionship, but her own cluelessness did her in. Let’s say that Cullen’s “confession” had her beyond shook

If she was asked this, however, past stating that she’s much too busy for anything of the sort, she’d probably mumble something about kindness, honesty, skill and inquisitiveness, and a quick wit. The latter part is something she is especially weak to, much to her own chagrin. I don’t know what that is called (bc Russian brain refuses to cooperate), but I think Zevran’s approach to life also got to her very quickly. Like, just making the best of things. And the poetry bit makes her melt a little because…. she looked sad??? No one’s ever cared to see how she looked, the fact that he’d be able to tell and care enough to try to help….Arstxgcycugugih

🍻: What's your OC's favourite comfort ritual? How do they calm themselves down after a rough day?

She rarely feels safe around other people, so to be completely alone once in a while feels like a breath of fresh air. This changes as she actually gets close to Wardens and Co., but it takes her a while, and in the meantime, she enjoys just wandering off and observing/feeding the birds. Maybe get a quick doodle in. Shale greatly disapproves

She also enjoys a good scary story at the campfire and looking for pretty flora and rocks. Having had no access to too many plants back in the Anderfels, she finds herself really enjoying flowers as well, and brewing potions and poisons for… personal reasons. She’s also trying to learn to make flower crowns, though it’s not something she’s too good at.

She keeps the neat rocks and gems she finds in a pretty weighty pouch, and fiddles with them for comfort (that’s what she’s doing in my first drawing of her :D). I feel like she’d be the kind of person to give cool rocks she finds to people she likes, especially when they seem down. The more I write about her, the more I am convinced she’s some sort of penguin or cat

That reflects in the way she calms herself down, as she tends to isolate herself from the more intense stimuli and focus on a physical item or sensation she enjoys. Although in few, very intense cases, the other extreme she goes into is battle. Being a berserker can, ironically, help one wind down.

🍟: What does your OC admit to be their guilty pleasure? What actually is their guilty pleasure?

A lot of her pleasures can probably be classified as guilty, given the way she was raised, with cold, hard pragmatism and strength being valued above all other things. So overall she just likes to… relax, really. Preferably with sweets or a cup of warm tea. This is what she’d tell people.

As for her real guilty pleasure, well, it goes a bit deeper than that. She likes …people. She likes spending time with people she cares for, which is (to her) a rather risky admission. She talks with Mishka quite a bit, but that would eventually spread to the rest of the camp, with just about any topic being fair game. Philosophy, science, magic, arts - she ends up having opinions about a lot of things, and may or may not keep a rather extensive journal of the things she’s learned on the road, both about Ferelden and her companions, decorated with dried herbs and firelit portraits. I don’t think she’d willingly show it to anyone, though.

It’s funny, too, because despite coming across as a rather gloomy and curt person with few interests beyond good old fashioned battle she’s …. a nerd, and one with a rather idealistic sense of fairness as well.

Edit: 🌽 is something I’ve answered in a previous ask by heniareth! Thank u for asking it, tho!! :D