How do penguins sleep?

Answer 1

Many people believe that all penguins sleep standing up, however, this is not necessarily true. Out of the 17 different species of penguins, Emperor Penguins are most frequently seen standing up. Although it probably does not sound at all comfortable to us, there actually is a very logical reason for this unique sleeping position. By standing up, the Emperor Penguin, which lives in an extremely frigid environment, does not come into contact with the cold ground. Instead, only its well-insulated feet are subjected to the harsh chill. In fact, the penguins actually place their weight on their heels, so their toes do not even touch the ground. Then, in yet another clever move to stay warm, a penguin often places its beak under its wing in order to maintain its body heat. In addition to standing, penguins can also be found in a wide variety of sleeping positions. King Penguins and other large species are known to sleep on their bellies, whereas smaller penguins often nap in burrows. When incubating their eggs, however, most species will remain standing. Just like humans, each penguin sleeps in the position that he or she finds safe, comfortable and warm.

Answer 2

Penguins can sleep on land or in the water. They often tuck their heads under their flippers to keep warm and avoid predators while resting on land. In the water, they can sleep while drifting or floating on the surface.