Lowest temperature endured by a bird

During a study of the emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) at a breeding colony in Pointe Géologie, Terre Adélie, Antarctica, on 4–29 June 2008, the average air temperature recorded was -17.6 degrees Celsius (0.32 degrees Fahrenheit); the mean temperature of the ice, meanwhile, was -29.1 degrees Celsius (-20.3 degrees Fahrenheit). During three days of this study, the air temperature dipped below -20 degrees Celsius (-4 degrees Fahrenheit), at which point the sky and ice temperatures over-ranged beyond the recording capabilities of the camera equipment, exceeding -45 degrees Celsius (-49 degrees Fahrenheit). It's widely acknowledged that emperor penguins have to occasionally endure air temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Fahrenheit) and beyond, as well as wind gusts that can reach in excess of 150 kilometres (90 miles) per hour.

The study was conducted at the height of the Antarctic winter; 21 June is midwinter in Antarctica.

Emperor penguins are able to survive such extreme conditions owing to specialized anatomical, physiological and behavioural adaptations for minimizing heat loss. Penguin plumage provides more than 80% of total insulation and is highly resistant to wind penetration.