They have a white front and a black back. They also have a white ring around the eye. Their head and throat are black. Their stubby dark, brick red bill is feathered over half its length. Its feet are dull white or flesh colored on the upper surface and black on the soles.
Babies have white chins.
Chicks have uniform grey black feathers. Killer whales are their main predators. Leopard seals like to kill them too though. They live on the packs of the ice near the penguins. The Adelie build rough nests of stones and they lay 2 eggs which the parents sit on for 32-34 days.