Types of Fish That Penguins Eat

Penguins are known to feed on various types of marine life, which provide them with essential nutrients and energy.

Most crucial to their diet are fish. These provide necessary fats and proteins for growth, maintenance and tissue repair, which is mandatory for penguins’ survival.

Types of Fish That Penguins Eat

Fish that penguins eat are anchovies, sardines and herring. In colder regions Emperor and Adelie penguins often eat Antarctic silverfish, whereas King, Rockhopper and Magellanic penguins in warmer climates might eat more coastal water fish like sprats and mullets.

Their diet varies with their location and the prey available in that area. Factors like ocean currents, water temperature, and seasonality can influence fish availability, thus affecting penguin diets.

Besides fish, penguins also feed on squid and krill, particularly when fish are scarce, allowing them to adapt to the varying conditions of their habitats.

Sardines

Penguins often eat sardines, as they are a common and nutritious part of penguins diet. Sardines are small, oily fish that belong to the herring family, Clupeidae.

European pilchard, Pacific and Indian oil sardines are commonly found in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean oceans.

King penguins on South Georgia Island and Magellanic penguins in Argentina are known to consume sardines.

Humboldt penguins in Chile and Peru also eat sardines. Having access to southern Atlantic and Pacific ocean waters, these penguin species hunt and feed on sardines.

African penguins, in particular, frequently hunt sardines along the southern African coast, skillfully snatching them from large groups.

Sprats

Penguins eat sprats that found in the southwest Pacific ocean. Penguins particularly King, Gentoo, Rockhopper, Magellanic, and Macaroni from the Falkland Islands and Little-blue and Yellow-eyed from Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand feast on these small sprat fish.

Sprats are small herring-like marine fish live in the the open ocean to coastal areas, and can be found in bays, estuaries and deeper waters.

Different species of sprat are found in specific regions. The European sprat in the northeast Atlantic, the Australian sprat near Australia and Tasmania, and the New Zealand and Falkland species are found in the southwest Pacific.

Not all penguin species have access to them due to geographic distribution. Captivity raised penguins are also fed sprats due to their high protein content.

Anchovies

Penguins eat anchovies. Anchovies are a common food source for several penguin species such as Galápagos, African and Humboldt penguins.

Anchovies, small and abundant, are yet another common element in a penguin’s diet. Found in various oceans, these fish thrive off the coasts of many continents.

South American penguins like Humboldt frequently hunt schools of anchovies. Penguins benefit from their enormous numbers, particularly during breeding and migration seasons.

Penguins swiftly and skillfully dive to catch fast swimming anchovies, providing them with the essential energy they need for mating, molting, and caring for their young.

Mullets

Penguins from southern part of Atlantic and Pacific oceans prey on and eat mullets. These southern ocean waters are home to many penguin species, like King, Galapagos, Magellanic and many more.

The mullet, not as commonly featured in the penguin’s menu, still play a small role.

Mullets are a family of ray-finned fish predominantly living in tropical and subtropical coastal waters around the globe. Mullet is a common name for a group of species in the family Mugilidae.

The Striped Mullet lives in nearshore marine waters all around the world, including the southern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Cape Mullet inhabit South Atlantic Ocean and the Southwest Indian Ocean.

King and Northern Rockhopper live and hunt Mullet nearshore of Southern Atlantic.

Mullet from the Southern Pacific ocean are consumed by Galapagos, Erect-Crested and Magellanic penguins. African penguins also eat small Mullet as they live near the south of Indian ocean.

Penguins, including the Fiordland and Snares penguin from New Zealand, might consume them when other food sources are scarce. Mullet therefore, become an essential food in challenging times.

Antarctic Silverfish

Penguins eat Antarctic Silverfish, with Adélie, Emperor, Chinstrap, and Gentoo penguins among the species that consume them as a key part of their diet.

The Antarctic silverfish (Pleuragramma antarctica) is a member of the Nototheniidae family. Antarctic silverfish are small native fish of the frigid Antarctic waters usually measuring 15-20 cm as adults.

Antarctic Silverfish are a fundamental component of the Antarctic food web, serving as one of the primary food sources for various penguin species.

Adélie and Emperor penguins, both of which rely heavily on the abundance of silverfish for their dietary needs.

The accessibility of Antarctic Silverfish often dictates the breeding success and survival rates of these penguins.

Mackerel

Penguins eat mackerel, with species like the African, King, and Gentoo penguins include mackerel as part of their diverse diets. When mackerel are still young and small, they provide another food source for penguins.

Mackerel is a quick and migratory fish common in the world’s temperate and tropical coastal waters. This adaptable species flourishes in various marine habitats globally.

The Atlantic Mackerel also referred to as the Boston mackerel inhabits the temperate regions of the Southern Ocean where penguins live. This species is common and live in huge shoals.

While mackerel is not the sole component of a penguin’s diet, it is an important source of nutrition for those species that have access to it.