It was a penguin.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.com

An excerpt:

     There was not the slightest doubt about it. It was a penguin.

     Mr. Popper was speechless with delight.

     But the penguin was not speechless. "Ork," it said again, and this time it held out its flippers and jumped over the packing debris.

     It was a stout little fellow about two and a half feet high. Although it was the size of a small child, it looked much more like a little gentleman, with its smooth white waistcoat in front and its long black tailcoat dragging a little behind. Its eyes were set in two white circles in its black head. It turned its head from one side to the other, as first with one eye and then with the other, it examined Mr. Popper.

~ from Mr. Popper's Penguins,

written by Richard and Florence Atwater

I love this description of the penguin. It makes me wish I had one of my own.... :)