Kiwi vs. Penguin — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 30, 2023
The kiwi is a flightless bird native to New Zealand, while the penguin is a flightless seabird primarily residing in the Southern Hemisphere.
Difference Between Kiwi and Penguin
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Kiwi birds are unique to New Zealand, known for their small size, long beaks, and brown feathers. They are nocturnal and have a keen sense of smell. Kiwis lay the largest eggs in relation to their body size among all bird species.
Penguins, in contrast, are primarily found in the Southern Hemisphere, with species like the Emperor Penguin inhabiting Antarctica. They are adapted to life in water, with streamlined bodies and flippers for swimming. Penguins are also known for their black and white plumage.
Kiwi birds are solitary and shy, mainly active during the night. Their diet consists largely of insects, worms, and small invertebrates. They use their long beaks to probe the soil for food.
Penguins are social birds, often found in large colonies. They primarily feed on fish, krill, and squid. Unlike kiwis, penguins are excellent swimmers and spend much of their time in water.
While kiwis cannot fly due to their small wings and heavy bodies, they are adept at running and burrowing. They have a strong sense of smell, which is rare among birds.
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Penguins are also flightless, but their wings have evolved into flippers, making them agile swimmers. They are more adapted to cold environments compared to kiwis.
Comparison Chart
Habitat
New Zealand
Mainly Southern Hemisphere
Size and Appearance
Small, brown, long beak
Various sizes, black and white
Lifestyle
Nocturnal, solitary
Social, diurnal
Diet
Insects, worms
Fish, krill
Adaptations
Strong sense of smell, burrowing
Swimming, cold environments
Compare with Definitions
Kiwi
Flightless bird
The kiwi is a symbol of New Zealand.
Penguin
Seabird
Penguins are adapted to aquatic life.
Kiwi
Large eggs
A kiwi egg is remarkably big.
Penguin
Black and white
Penguins have distinctive coloring.
Kiwi
Brown feathers
The kiwi's brown plumage helps it camouflage.
Penguin
Swimming
Penguins are excellent swimmers.
Kiwi
Long beak
The kiwi uses its beak to find food.
Penguin
Cold environments
Many penguins live in Antarctica.
Kiwi
Any of several flightless birds of the genus Apteryx native to New Zealand, having vestigial wings and a long slender bill. Also called apteryx.
Penguin
Flightless
Despite having wings, penguins cannot fly.
Kiwi
(Informal) A New Zealander.
Penguin
Penguins (order Sphenisciformes , family Spheniscidae ) are a group of aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere, with only one species, the Galápagos penguin, found north of the Equator.
Kiwi
A kiwifruit.
Penguin
Any of various stout, flightless aquatic birds of the family Spheniscidae, of the Southern Hemisphere, having flipperlike wings and webbed feet adapted for swimming and diving, short scalelike feathers, and white underparts with a dark back.
Kiwi
A flightless bird of the genus Apteryx native to New Zealand.
Penguin
(Obsolete) The great auk.
Kiwi
Alternative case form of Kiwi.
Penguin
Any of several flightless sea birds, of order Sphenisciformes, found in the Southern Hemisphere, marked by their usual upright stance, walking on short legs, and (generally) their stark black and white plumage.
Kiwi
(informal) A New Zealand dollar.
Penguin
An auk (sometimes especially a great auk), a bird of the Northern Hemisphere.
Kiwi
A kiwi fruit.
Penguin
(slang) A nun (association through appearance, because of the often black-and-white habit).
Kiwi
A green-yellow colour, like that of kiwi fruit flesh (also called kiwi green).
Penguin
(juggling) A type of catch where the palm of the hand is facing towards the leg with the arm stretched downward, resembling the flipper of a penguin.
Kiwi
A member of the air force who does not fly.
Penguin
A spiny bromeliad with egg-shaped fleshy fruit, Bromelia pinguin.
Kiwi
Climbing vine native to China; cultivated in New Zealand for its fuzzy edible fruit with green meat
Penguin
A member of the air force who does not fly aircraft.
Kiwi
A native or inhabitant of New Zealand
Penguin
Any bird of the order Impennes, or Ptilopteri. They are covered with short, thick feathers, almost scalelike on the wings, which are without true quills. They are unable to fly, but use their wings to aid in diving, in which they are very expert. See King penguin, under Jackass.
Kiwi
Fuzzy brown egg-shaped fruit with slightly tart green flesh
Penguin
The egg-shaped fleshy fruit of a West Indian plant (Bromelia Pinguin) of the Pineapple family; also, the plant itself, which has rigid, pointed, and spiny-toothed leaves, and is used for hedges.
Kiwi
Nocturnal flightless bird of New Zealand having a long neck and stout legs; only surviving representative of the order Apterygiformes
Penguin
Short-legged flightless birds of cold southern especially Antarctic regions having webbed feet and wings modified as flippers
Kiwi
Nocturnal
Kiwis are active at night.
Common Curiosities
Can penguins live in warm climates?
Yes, some species, like the Galápagos penguin, live in warmer regions.
Are kiwis found outside New Zealand?
No, kiwis are native to New Zealand.
Do penguins have predators?
Yes, predators include seals, sharks, and seabirds.
What do kiwis eat?
Kiwis primarily eat insects and worms.
Do penguins mate for life?
Many species are monogamous, but not all.
Are all penguins black and white?
Most species have black and white plumage, but some may vary.
How many species of kiwi are there?
There are five recognized species of kiwi.
Do kiwis fly?
No, kiwis are flightless birds.
Can kiwis swim?
Kiwis are not adapted for swimming.
How do penguins keep warm?
Penguins have layers of fat and dense feathers for insulation.
Are kiwis endangered?
Some kiwi species are endangered due to habitat loss and predators.
Do kiwis live in groups?
No, kiwis are solitary birds.
Can penguins live in freshwater?
Penguins generally live in oceanic environments.
Are kiwis active during the day?
No, kiwis are primarily nocturnal.
How do penguins communicate?
Penguins use vocalizations and body language to communicate.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
