Emperor Penguin vs Stripe-throated Hermit

Aptenodytes forsteri compared with Phaethornis striigularis

Key Differences

• Emperor Penguin is Near Threatened while Stripe-throated Hermit is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Emperor Penguin	Stripe-throated Hermit
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Aves (Birds)	Aves (Birds)
Order	Sphenisciformes (Penguins)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family	Spheniscidae (Penguins)	Trochilidae
Genus	Aptenodytes (Great Penguins)	Phaethornis
Species	Aptenodytes forsteri	Phaethornis striigularis

Evolutionary Relationship

Emperor Penguin and Stripe-throated Hermit share a common ancestor at the Class level: Aves. (Birds)

Conservation Status

Emperor Penguin

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~595.0K

Trend: Stable →

Stripe-throated Hermit

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Emperor Penguin	Stripe-throated Hermit
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	20 years	—
Average Length	1.1 m	—
Average Weight	40.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Emperor Penguin

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, temperate coniferous forests, and boreal forests and taiga, among 4 distinct biome types within the Palearctic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Norway. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Stripe-throated Hermit

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Emperor Penguin

The world's largest penguin, emperor penguins stand up to 1.2 meters and weigh 45 kg, inhabiting the Antarctic continent in some of the most extreme conditions on Earth. They breed in midwinter darkness at temperatures below -60°C, with males incubating single eggs on their feet under a brood pouch for 65 days while females are at sea. Their huddling behavior — cycling individuals through the warm center of thousands-strong groups — is a masterclass in cooperative survival.

Stripe-throated Hermit

A small hermit hummingbird of humid forest understory from southern Mexico through Central America to northern South America, stripe-throated hermits have green upper parts with a distinctive white-striped face and a curved bill adapted for Heliconia and ginger flowers. They follow fixed trap-line nectar routes through dense forest. Males aggregate at leks where they sing persistent repetitive songs to attract females. They are important pollinators of understory Heliconia and Costus plants across their range.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway