Their feet are far back on their bodies, which causes them to stand in an upright position. Penguins must stand straight upright because this is the only way they can balance their heavy plump bodies. If they stood or walked leaned over like other birds do, they would probably fall over. Penguins can walk or waddle very fast on land. They also move on land by jumping and tobogganing on their bellies.
Penguins have thick, webbed feet that are wide and strong.
They use their strong feet for walking and jumping on the land. In the water they use their feet for braking and steering as they swim and dive. They also have long tails that help them to sit up on land and acts as a rudder when they are swimming. Flying birds have long, thin feet that let them perch on branches. Penguins have a strong and often long beaks.