Emperor Penguin vs Manx Shearwater

Aptenodytes forsteri compared with Puffinus puffinus

Key Differences

• Emperor Penguin is Near Threatened while Manx Shearwater is Least Concern.
• Emperor Penguin is 88.9x heavier than Manx Shearwater.
• Manx Shearwater lives longer (50 years vs 20 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Emperor Penguin	Manx Shearwater
Kingdom same	Animalia (hayvan)	Animalia (hayvan)
Phylum same	Chordata (Kordalılar)	Chordata (Kordalılar)
Class same	Aves (kuş)	Aves (kuş)
Order	Sphenisciformes (Penguins)	Procellariiformes (Tüp burunlu kuşlar)
Family	Spheniscidae (Penguins)	Procellariidae
Genus	Aptenodytes (Great Penguins)	Puffinus
Species	Aptenodytes forsteri	Puffinus puffinus

Evolutionary Relationship

Emperor Penguin and Manx Shearwater share a common ancestor at the Class level: Aves. (kuş)

Conservation Status

Emperor Penguin

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~595.0K

Trend: Stable →

Manx Shearwater

LC — Least Concern

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Emperor Penguin	Manx Shearwater
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	20 years	50 years
Average Length	1.1 m	35 cm
Average Weight	40.0 kg	450 g

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.

Manx Shearwater

Habitat

Typically found in diverse ecosystems where prey species are available.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and South America (Colombia, Ecuador).

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.

Manx Shearwater

A medium-sized seabird of the North Atlantic and North Pacific, Manx shearwaters are renowned for their extraordinary navigation abilities. They travel up to 1 million kilometers over a lifetime, migrating annually between breeding colonies on North Atlantic islands and wintering grounds off South America. Their stiff-winged shearing flight just above wave surfaces is characteristic. One individual lived for over 55 years, one of the longest-lived wild birds recorded.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 1 countries:

🇳🇴 Norway