Penguins' Necks

No time to lose your head! The anonymous march of the penguins (thanks to their double-jointed necks)

By Daily Mail Reporter Last updated at 3:33 PM on 14th December 2010There are times when we would all like to hide our heads in shame. But our impossible dream is a daily reality for these two King Penguins on the South Atlantic island of South Georgia. Thanks to their double-jointed necks, the 'headless' pair merrily go about their business.

Follow the leader: Two King Penguins on the South Atlantic island of South Georgia scratch their backs

When a penguin fancies a scratch or two, he simply bends his head completely over and attacks the area that is bothering him with his beak. Such a manoeuvre guarantees there is no such thing as a 'hard-to-reach spot'... and makes for an amusing natural image. The King Penguin is the second largest species of penguin, second only to the Emperor Penguin. Mainly found in the South Atlantic and the northernmost waters of the northern Antarctic, there are believed to be around 2.23million King Penguins and their numbers are increasing.

One up, one down: When a penguin fancies a scratch, his double-jointed neck allows him to simply bend his head completely over