Emperor Penguins and chick, Cape Washington.

While their parents are off hunting, Emperor Penguin chicks periodically call to them for food. The parents find their one chick from among the more than 20,000 chicks at the Cape Washington colony by recognizing their chick's distinctive call. The chicks then feed on food regurgitated by the parents. Male Emperor Penguins are responsible for egg incubation, and they huddle closely in large groups for warmth during the two months of incubation. After hatching, the male and female alternate chick brooding, and finally, the chicks are left on their own in large groups called creches while both parents go off to feed and return. Emperor and Adelie Penguins are the only two penguin species that can endure the harsh environment of high-latitude Antarctica, and Emperors are the only penguins that lay eggs and hatch young during the cold, dark, windy Antarctic winter. There are thought to be more than 400,000 Emperor Penguins in 35 known colonies around the continent.