Penguin Basics

Can penguins fly?

Penguins cannot fly through the air. Over millions of years of evolution, their wings adapted into stiff, flat flippers optimized for swimming rather than flight. These flippers allow penguins to propel themselves through water with powerful, wing-like strokes. In a sense, penguins do fly — just underwater. Gentoo penguins, for example, can reach speeds of up to 36 km/h while swimming, making them the fastest swimming penguin species.