African Penguin Facts: Habitat, Diet, Behavior, Conservation African penguins live on the coasts of southern Africa, mainly in South Africa and Namibia. They are also called jackass penguins because their call sounds like a donkey bray. African penguins cannot fly, but they are excellent swimmers. They use their wings like flippers to move quickly underwater. Their main food is fish, especially sardines and anchovies. African penguins have black-and-white feathers that help camouflage them in th