Have you seen these seabirds before?
They are emperor penguins.
They look very dressed up, don't they?
These emperor penguins are playing and catching fish in the ocean.
But what do they do when the wind gets colder?
"Brr! Winter must be around the corner!" says one emperor penguin.
"Yes, it is time to lay our egg," says the other.
"Oh, I can't wait to be a father!"
So the two emperor penguins swim to the frozen shore of Antarctica.
The weather is bitterly cold.
The father finds shelter under an ice cliff.
Then the mother emperor penguin lays her egg.
"Dear, you did such a good job!
Look at our beautiful egg!
Quick, roll it onto my feet so I can keep it warm."
The father emperor penguin carefully balances the egg on his feet.
He makes sure the egg doesn't touch the ice.
To keep the egg warm, he covers it with the extra skin over his stomach.
"Now head out to sea to eat and rest.
You worked very hard," says the father.
"I am very tired," says the mother penguin.
"But I can stay on shore.
I want to stay with you and our egg."
But the father emperor penguin insists.
"No, you go and rest.
I will take care of our egg until you come back."
"Okay, dear, I guess I will.
Please stay warm and keep our egg safe!"
After the mother penguin leaves, it gets colder and colder.
The father emperor penguin and his friends huddle together to keep warm.
They cannot leave their eggs to hunt or fish.
They must sit on their eggs for nine long weeks.
"Brr! Hey, are you guys okay?"
"Brr! Yes, I am doing fine.
But it is pretty cold, isn't it?"
"Yep! And we have many more weeks to go. Brr!"
"I am getting so hungry!" thinks the father emperor penguin.
"But it's my job to guard the egg and keep it warm.
I hope it survives the harsh winter."
Finally the egg begins to hatch.
"Cheep, cheep!" A fuzzy, gray emperor penguin peeps up at its father.
"Look at my beautiful baby!
I am so proud!"
When the mother returns, she says, "Oh, how wonderful!
Look at my fuzzy little chick!
Thank you, dear.
Now I am strong and rested again.
But look how thin you are.
You have not eaten for over nine weeks.
Let's take turns.
Now I can take care of our baby.
You must eat and rest.
Our baby will need a strong father to protect him."
"You are right. I will be back soon."
So the father emperor penguin heads to the ocean.
While he is gone, the mother feeds and cares for the chick.
Soon the father emperor penguin returns.
"Are you strong and rested?" asks the mother emperor penguin.
"Yes, I feel so much better now.
Look what I brought you both from the ocean!"
"A squid! My favorite!"
"Cheep, cheep!" says the baby.
It's his favorite too.
The emperor penguins look so happy together!
Isn't the emperor penguin family great?