What is the biggest penguin species?
The emperor penguin is the largest living penguin species, standing up to 130 cm (4.3 feet) tall and weighing up to 45 kg (99 pounds). The second largest is the king penguin at up to 95 cm. For context, the largest penguin that ever lived was the extinct Kumimanu biceae, which stood about 1.6 meters tall and weighed around 100 kg — roughly the size of a large adult human. Among living species, emperor penguins' large body size is a critical adaptation for retaining body heat in the extreme cold of Antarctica, where they breed during winter.
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Reference bodies behind our comparison answers. Links last checked August 5, 2026.
- IUCN Red List - Global conservation assessments and extinction-risk categories.
- BirdLife Data Zone - Species accounts, distribution, and population summaries.
- Smithsonian Ocean Portal - Penguin biology, anatomy, and breeding explainers.