Emperor (Aptenodytes forsteri) Penguins are one of the two species that are strictly Antarctic. They are the only birds that never set foot on dry land.
Height: 115cm
Weight: 30kg
Distribution: coastal Antarctica, southern Antarctica Peninsula

King (Aptenodytes patagonicus) Penguins are the second largest of the penguins. They have an orange yellow patch on their chests and greyish black backs. A King could only be confused with an Emperor penguin, but the location should be a give away. Emperors are only found on and around the Antarctic continent; Kings are found further north. To tell an Emperor from a King notice that the tear-drop shaped ear patches are yellow on Emperors and are open. Kings have orange ear patches that are closed.
Height: 94cm
Weight: 15kg
Distribution: Macquarie, Marion, Prince Edward, Kerluegen, Crozet, South Georgia, South Sandwitch

Adélie (Pygocelis adeliae) Penguins are the archetypal penguins that are supposed to look like men in their dinner suits. They have a white front and a black back. They also have a white ring around the eye that is most pronounced in the breeding season. Juveniles can be recognized by their white chins. 
Height: 71cm
Weight: 5kg
Distribution: coastal Antarctica, South Shetlands, South Orkneys, South Sandwich, Antarctic Peninsula

Chinstrap (or Stonecracker) (Pygocelis antarctica) Penguins are particularly noisy penguins and are sometimes also called Stonecracker penguins because of their piercing voices. Chinstrap penguins are white on the front and throat but have a black back. Chinstraps are easily distinguished by the thin black stripe across the bottom of the throat - the famous chinstrap.
Height: 68cm
Weight: 4.5kg
Distribution: South Shetlands, South Orkneys, South Sandwich, Antarctic Peninsula to 65°f

Gentoo (Pygocelis papua) Penguins are easily recognized by the wide white stripe extending like a bonnet across the top of their heads.
Height: 71cm
Weight: 6kg
Distribution: north Antarctic Peninsuala to 65°rees; S, South Shetlands, South Orkneys, South Sandwich, Macquari, Falklands, Staten

Macaroni (Eudyptes chrysolophus) Penguins could only be confused with Royal penguins. Macaronis and Royals are the largest of the crested penguins and both have orange yellow and black crests that join on the top of the head. The Royals usually have white chins while Macaroni penguins have black chins.
Height: 71cm
Weight: 4.5kg
Distribution: Kerguelen, Crozet, Falklands, Marion, Heard, South Georgia, South Shetlands, South Sandwitch, Bouvet

Royal (Eudyptes schlegeli) Penguins are sometimes regarded as a sub-species of Macaroni penguins with a white throat.
Height: 61cm
Weight: 4.5kg
Distribution: Macquarie Island

Erect-Crested (Eudyptes sclateri) Penguins are easily identified on land as the crests stick straight up in the air. At sea they are very difficult to distinguish from Snares penguins.
Height: 66cm
Weight: 3.5kg
Distribution: Antiposes, Bounty, Campbell, south New Zealand

Snares Island (Eudyptes roubustus) Penguins have a broad crest extending from the beak to the back of the head. They are easily confused with Fiordland penguins but do not have the white markings on the cheek that are present in the Fiordland penguins. 
Height: 53cm
Weight: 3kg
Distribution: Snares Island

Fiordland (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus) Penguins are found among the fiords that make up the South West coast of New Zealand's South Island and on Stewart Island (just south of New Zealand). Their habitat is greatly threatened by the increasing presence of man in what is one of the world's last remaining wildernesses. They are further threatened by the many predators that man has accidentally (or deliberately) introduced to New Zealand over the last few centuries.  They are quite similar to Snares penguins. They can be distinguished readily by the thin white streaks on the cheeks. 
Height: 56cm
Weight: 3kg
Distribution: south west New Zealand, Steward Island

Rockhopper (Eudyptes crestata) Penguins are the smallest and most common of the crested penguins. They can be distinguished by the shape of their crests; they have a thin yellow stripe that starts just behind the beak and runs toward the back of the head for a few cm. before developing into a large drooping crest.
Height: 56cm
Weight: 2.5kg
Distribution: Tristan group, New Amsterdam, St Paul, Heard, Macquarie, Staten, Falklands, Marion, Kerguelen, Crozetrs, Antipodes, Auklans, Bounty, Tiera del Fuego

African (or Blackfooted, or Jackass, or Cape) (Spheniscus demersus) Penguins have a broad black band that runs in an inverted horseshoe shape around their fronts. The chest is dotted with a few black spots in a random pattern. African Penguins are similar to Humboldt Penguins, the main differences are that the Humboldt penguins are heavier, have proportionately longer flippers and a narrower white band on the head. It is only recently that the name "African penguin" has become widely accepted.  Previously African penguins were known as "Black-footed penguins", "Jackass penguins" or "Cape penguins".  These older names are not recommended; African penguins do not have entirely black feet,  all the Spheniscid penguins have been called "Jackass" at some time in the past, and the African penguins are not exclusively found around the Cape.
Height: 71cm
Weight: 3kg
Distribution: south and south-west Africa

Humboldt (or Peruvian) (Spheniscus humbodlti) Penguins are widely regarded as the most endangered of all the penguin species. They have a broad black band that runs in an inverted horseshoe shape around their fronts. The chest is dotted with a few black spots in a random pattern. Humboldt penguins are similar to African Penguins in appearance, the main differences are that the Humboldt penguins are shorter, have proportionately longer flippers and a narrower white band on the head. 
Height: 66cm
Weight: 4kg
Distribution: Peruvian and Chilean coastal islands

Magellanic (Spheniscus magellanicus) Penguins have a broad black band under their chin and another that runs in an inverted horseshoe shape around their fronts. The chest is dotted with a few black spots in a random pattern. Although the pattern of banding on Galapagos penguins is similar to that on Magellanic Penguins, they are easily distinguished. Magellanic Penguins are considerably larger than Galapagos Penguins and the main black band around the front is much thinner on Galapagos Penguins.
Height: 71cm
Weight: 5kg
Distribution: southern Chile, Patagonia, Tiera del Fuego, Staten, Falklands

Galapágos (Spheniscus mendiculus) Penguins have a narrow white band from the eye extending under the chin and a black band that runs in an inverted horseshoe shape around their fronts. Although the pattern of banding on Galapágos penguins is similar to that on Magellanic Penguins, they are easily distinguished. Magellanic Penguins are considerably larger than Galapágos Penguins and the main black band around the front is much thinner on Galapágos Penguins. 
Height: 53cm
Weight: 2.25kg
Distribution: Albemarle and Narborough in the Galapágos

Yellow-Eyed (or Hoiho) (Megadyptes antipodes) Penguins are thought to be closest to the original penguins in appearance. They have a broad yellow band running around the eyes and extending like a bonnet over the top of the head. The Maori name for the Yellow-eyed penguin is "Hoiho".
Height: 66cm
Weight: 5kg
Distribution: south New Zealand

Little Blue (or Fairy, or Kororaa) (Eudyptula minor) Penguins are the smallest of all the penguins with blue grey backs and white fronts. There is a lot of disagreement, even amongst biologists, as to the proper name for Little penguins.  Common names are: "Little Blue penguin", "Fairy penguin" and "Blue penguin".  The Maori name for the Little penguin is "Kororaa".
Height: 38cm
Weight: 1kg
Distribution: north New Zealand, southern Australia

White-Flippered (Eudyptula albosignata) Penguins are very similar to the blue penguin, differing only in slightly larger size, lighter plumage and having large areas of white plumage on the dorsal surface of the wings.
Height: 40cm
Weight: 1.5kg
Distribution: New Zealand south island, Banks Peninsula