The penguin species with a distinctive yellow-orange head patch that breeds on sub-Antarctic islands is the king penguin.
King penguins have vivid orange-yellow markings on the sides of the head and upper neck, along with a long, slender bill. Their backs are dark gray or black, while their chests are pale and often show orange coloration near the throat. These markings help distinguish them from emperor penguins, which are larger and have broader yellow-orange ear patches.
The species breeds in large colonies on islands such as South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, and the Crozet, Kerguelen, and Macquarie island groups. Unlike emperor penguins, king penguins do not breed on the Antarctic continent itself.
King penguins are the second-largest living penguin species. They mainly eat fish and squid captured during foraging trips at sea. Their long breeding cycle means that a pair generally raises one chick over more than a year.