Are you ready to watch LIVE penguins?
It’s no secret that penguins are my favorite animal, so it was a lot of fun putting together this list of live cameras.
I was able to locate 9 streams that I found especially interesting!
The only thing that I found a bit disappointing was that all of the penguin cams are streaming from inside a zoo or aquarium.
When I first started searching, I was hoping that someone, somewhere had a live camera that showed wild penguins. Unfortunately, due to the nomadic and sea-loving nature of these birds, this proves impossible (at least for the moment!).
But a huge benefit of displaying captive animals is the fact that I can pretty much guarantee you are going to see penguins!
There are 3 ways you can support Bird Watching HQ:
1. Save this page and visit OFTEN!
- There is always something new to watch, and I am continually looking for unique animal cams to add. 🙂
2. Subscribe to my Youtube channel HERE.
- Currently, I have THREE live bird cams streaming. Plus, you will be made aware when highlight videos are uploaded! VIEW NOW!
3. Check out one of my other LIVE camera pages:
7 LIVE Bird Feeder Cams from around the world!
8 Live GIRAFFE webcams (Both captive and WILD)
Backyard ANIMAL cameras, which feature FIVE feeding stations, including hummingbirds!
Penguin Cam #1: Kansas City, Missouri
You are watching inside the Helzberg Penguin Plaza, located at the Kansas City Zoo!
The exhibit features three different species of penguins; Gentoo, King, and Macaroni.
This massive exhibit features 100,000 gallons of saltwater, an ice bridge, tunnels, and even holes that the penguins use to launch themselves out of the water. Two snow machines can produce up to 3” of snow per day for the penguins to play in.
Interestingly, there are eight different nesting boxes concealed in the rocks that provide comfortable burrows for the penguins to nest and raise young. The zoo has successfully hatched both Gentoo and King Penguins.
Penguin Cam #2: Long Beach, California
You get the pleasure of watching Magellanic Penguins on this stream, which is located at the Aquarium of the Pacific in California.
Magellanic Penguins are native to South America. In fact, some of the animals you see in the above video were rescued in Brazil when they became stranded.
My favorite part of this penguin cam is the fact it’s located underwater! It provides an excellent look at the way penguins have adapted to life in the sea. Penguins look so uncomfortable when walking on land, but move gracefully with power and speed while “flying” underwater.
If you want a big challenge, I dare you to try and tell the penguins apart! An identification guide can be found on the aquarium’s website.
As a bonus, there is a second camera that you can watch, which gives a great view of the exhibit from above.
This angle lets you watch the penguins enter and exit the water from the rocky beach. I love watching them float around!
Penguin Cam #3: Monterey, California
This live stream shows African Penguins at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California! I like that someone controls the camera and moves the view to wherever the most amount of activity is taking place.
If you watch long enough, you will be able to see the penguins being fed. To see today’s feeding schedule, you can check the aquarium’s website (posted at the top!).
Instead of living in the chilling waters of Antarctica, African Penguins live on the warm coasts of South Africa. Their favorite foods in the wild include squid, anchovy, and other small fish.
Are you able to tell the differences between each penguin? Each of the individual birds looks slightly different, along with having incredibly diverse personalities! Here is an identification guide to all the birds in the exhibit. Good luck!
Penguin Cam #4: San Francisco, California
Based in San Francisco, the California Academy of Sciences features African Penguins.
If you look closely, you can see a colorful band at the base of their wing, which distinguishes one penguin from another. Males are banded on the right, and females are on the left. Couples will have the same color, and you may even spot them grooming each other near the nest box they share. 🙂
The penguins are fed a diet of herring and capelin, supplemented with vitamins here in captivity. During every feeding, a volunteer records what each bird eats, which helps biologists monitor the health of the individuals and colony.
My favorite part of this location is that there is a second penguin camera that shows below the surface. Watch below!
Here are 5 more penguin cams to enjoy:
I was able to locate five additional live streams of penguins, but unfortunately, these are not able to be embedded on this page.
Regardless, I have included a link to where these cameras can be viewed, along with a brief description of each.
Cam #5: African Penguins – San Diego, CA WATCH NOW!
Check out this incredible penguin habitat at the San Diego Zoo. The spacious exhibit tries to mimic the birds’ natural habitat and includes a cobblestone beach, nesting areas, and rocks and boulders. I didn’t even mention that the penguins enjoy a 200,000-gallon pool with depths up to 13 feet!
Cam #6: African Penguins – Gatlinburg, TN WATCH NOW!
Located inside the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, this exhibit allows visitors to get up close and personal with penguins!
We have visited here a few times, and seeing the penguins at the end is my highlight. First, there is a tunnel that goes underneath the floor that connects the penguins’ outdoor area to the indoors. The floor is see-through so that you can watch the penguins swim underneath your feet!
Second, the aquarium built a glass tunnel that you have to crawl through that takes you to the center of the exhibit. Both kids and adults can fit and pop their heads up into the center!
Cam #7: African Penguins – Idaho Falls, ID WATCH NOW!
This penguin exhibit is located at the Idaho Falls Zoo, which is known as “the best little zoo in the west.” The camera view changes depending on the time of the year. During the warm summer months, you can watch the penguins nest in their outdoor exhibit. Once the weather turns cold, you can enjoy views of the birds swimming in their indoor pool.
Cam #8: African Penguins – Atlanta, Georgia WATCH NOW!
I’m happy that I was able to locate this stream. It’s located inside the Georgia Aquarium, which is one of the biggest and best in the world!
Lately, I have been watching a show on Animal Planet called “The Aquarium”, which is a reality show about the staff that works at the Georgia Aquarium and their interactions with the animals. It’s a great program, and it’s neat to see this live cam after watching the penguins on the show.
Cam #9: Gentoo/Macaroni Penguins – Chattanooga, TN
WATCH NOW!
This live camera is focused on the penguins that live at the Tennessee Aquarium. We have family that lives in Chattanooga, so I have had the pleasure of visiting here a few different times. The aquarium is one of the largest freshwater facilities in the world, and one of the best that I have ever visited.
Can you help me add to this list?
I’m sure that I wasn’t able to find all the penguin cams in the world.
If there are any you can find that are worth sharing, please paste a link below in the comments section.
I am looking for streams that feature a high-quality camera, shows clear images of penguins, and the video doesn’t buffer often.
Check out Melbourne Zoo in Australia. They have 4 webcams including one of a penguin exhibit