The King penguin is the world's second largest penguin, with a typical weight of 12 - 14kg, and an average length of 90cm. Length is measured from the tip of the bill to the tip of the tail, in an outstretched bird. This is a more reliable measurement than height, since it is not affected by variations in stance.King penguins have distinctive orange patches on either side of the head, which extend down and meet beneath the chin, where they become yellow and fade into the silvery-white breast plumage. The mandibular plates on either side of the bill are also orange in colour. The female is slightly smaller than the male, but has similar plumage.
