~*~ The Penguin Grooming Page ~*~

Looking sharp in a tuxedo takes WORK.

Photo: Emperor penguins by Josh Landis, U.S. Antarctic Program / NSF (public domain) · source

A Penguin's Daily Grooming Routine

1. Shake it off. First thing after a swim, a good full-body wiggle flings off extra water and ice.
2. Grab the oil. Penguins have a special preen gland near the base of the tail that makes oil. They rub their beak against it to pick some up.
3. Spread it everywhere. Using the beak, they work that oil through their feathers, one section at a time. This is what keeps them waterproof in freezing water.
4. Zip the feathers back together. Feathers have tiny hooks that lock together like Velcro. Preening lines them back up so the coat stays tight and warm.
5. Get help with the hard-to-reach spots. Penguins can't reach their own head and neck, so partners preen each other. Scientists call it allopreening, and it's also how pairs bond.
6. Once a year: the big makeover. During the "catastrophic molt," a penguin replaces all its feathers at once. It looks extremely scruffy and can't swim for a few weeks, so it stays on land and lives off its fat until the new coat comes in.