What types of penguins are there in Chile?

Chile is one of the tourist places par excellence in South America, thanks to its geo location you can find all kinds of scenarios, terrains, adventures, cultures, climates, etc.  In addition, it has an incredible variety of fauna among which we highlight the beautiful Penguins and all types that you can see if you decide to visit the Chilean territory. Here are all the penguins you can see in Chile, where they live and how you can get to see them.

1- Magellanic Penguin

These penguins are also known as Patagonian penguins, they are similar to the Humboldt penguins and can be found at the end of the Chilean mainland. They can measure up to 76 cm and particularly in Chile they have a colony of 60,000 in the surroundings of the famous Los Pingüinos Natural Monument, from Marta Island to Magdalena Island. The most common sightings can be seen in the Natural Monument Islotes de Puñihuil and to reach this area you must sail from the Puñihuil Cove in Ancud (Chiloé), these islets are distributed between 100 to 700 meters from the coast.

2- King Penguin

One of the most beautiful specimens of the animal kingdom, the King Penguin is the second largest penguin species in the world. They have beautiful colors that resemble royalty, between yellowish, orange, white and black tones.  They love the southernmost seas and surprisingly in 2010 a large colony of them found a cozy home in one of the bays of Tierra del Fuego Island in Chilean territory. To see these magnificent animals, you have to leave from Punta Arenas and sail to Porvenir, once here you go by vehicle to the famous King Penguin Park.

3- Emperor Penguin

Similar in color, but not the same as the King Penguin, Emperor Penguins are the largest and most imposing of all and can easily exceed 120 centimeters in height with weights of up to 45kg. They live only in Antarctica, so they can be sighted in the southern Chilean territory that includes these areas. To access these areas, the most common is to take a plane, also, they have been found curiously in the Magallanes Region. So if you are lucky you might even see them in other adjacent areas.

4- Gentoo Penguin

Known as the Juanito, Gentoo, Gentú or Gentoo Penguin, it happens to be the fastest bird underwater, reaching speeds of up to 37km/h and can reach 80 cm in height. It is easily identified by the white patch over the eyes and the youngest ones have a grayish back and white front. It inhabits the Antarctic Peninsula and can be sighted in Chilean territory in Navarino Island and Cape Horn, to reach this area you have to sail from the Magellan Region to Puerto Williams in a long but rewarding journey of 300 nautical miles.

5- Macaroni Penguin

Also known as the orange-plumed penguin, this is one of the smallest and most attractive of all penguins. They have a close relationship with the royal penguins with differences in their faces, the Macaroni's are black and with a long and striking eyebrow that makes them stand out in the whole animal kingdom. It is possible to see them in Chilean territory, they can be found in the south of the territory by the arctic peninsula and the archipelago of Tierra del Fuego, visiting some of the islands such as Diego Ramirez, Ildefonso and Noir.

6- Humboldt Penguin

These beautiful penguins are a species of flightless bird that inhabit different areas of the Pacific Ocean and can be found on the west coasts of South America, particularly in Peru and Chile. They are known as Humboldt penguins because of the well-known Humboldt Current. They grow up to 72 cm tall and spend most of the year in the vicinity of their nests, which makes their sighting much easier. The best area to see them in Chilean territory is in the Humboldt Penguin National Reserve where they can be seen coexisting with many other beautiful animals such as bottlenose dolphins, sperm whales and even whales. It is also possible to see them in the Natural Monument Islotes del Puñihuil in these lakes they coexist with Magellanic penguins.