What birds are penguins most related to?
A maximum likelihood analysis of the phylogenetic placement of penguins with 23 birds, including 17 species whose mtDNA sequences were previously reported, suggested that storks are the closest extant relatives of penguins, with 78% and 56% bootstrap supports, depending on the choice of outgroup species.
What animal is like a penguin?
puffins
#1: Puffin The puffin ranks first among the birds that look like penguins. In fact, many people mistakenly believe that puffins belong in the penguin family. In reality, puffins belong to the genus Fratercula in the auk family Alcidae. Puffins live in the North Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean.
What bird is similar to a puffin?
Puffins are members of the Auk or Alcid family, along with other species. Razorbills (Alca torda) are rare visitors to Eastern Egg Rock but are common on some other islands where Project Puffin works, like Seal Island and Matinicus Rock. Common Murres (Uria aalge) are another type of Auk.
Is puffin part of penguin?
Genetically, penguins and puffins aren’t siblings or even cousins. Penguins belong to the family Spheniscidae, while puffins are members of the family Alcidae. There are 17 different species of penguin and four species of puffin, without any overlap. In fact, they aren’t even geographical neighbors.
What are penguins closest relatives?
The closest living relatives to penguins are the albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels, loons and grebes.
What are penguins similar to?
What species are penguins most closely related to? A penguin’s closest relatives are petrels, albatrosses and divers.
Is penguin a mammal or bird?
Yes, penguins are birds, although they are flightless birds. Lots of people think penguins are mammals rather than birds because they can’t fly, and we see them swimming underwater or waddling on land instead.
What a penguin looks like?
A penguin has a large head, short neck, and elongated body. The tail is short, stiff, and wedge-shaped. The legs and webbed feet are set far back on the body, which gives penguins their upright posture on land.
Is a guillemot a penguin?
The Guillemot is penguin-like in appearance; slim, pointed bill, dark brown head and upperparts, white underparts.
Are penguins alcids?
We most often think of the penguins of southern latitudes as underwater fliers par excellence. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the family of seabirds called alcids or auks that wing their way under the marine surface.