Fiordland Penguin New Zealand Native Pictures, Facts and Information
Fiordland Penguin - Eudyptes Pachyrhynchus
Distinguishing features
Fiordland penguins are quite similar to Snares penguins. They can be distinguished readily by the thin white streaks on the cheeks.
Chicks have grey-brown backs with white fronts.
Sub-species
There are no generally recognized sub-species of the Fiordland penguin.
Height & Weight
Fiordland penguins stand 50 to 55 cm tall and weigh around 3 to 4 kg with significant variations during the year.
Breeding locations
map of breeding locations
Fiordland penguins breed on the south-west coast of South Island, New Zealand and on Stewart Island. Estimates of the total breeding population vary. In 1984 there were estimated to be 5,000 to 10,000 pairs, but a more recent study (1991 to 1993) suggests there may be fewer than 1,000 pairs.
Nesting behavior
Fiordland penguins are solitary, they make nests in soft ground in dense undergrowth, well apart from one another. Nests can be a long distance from the shore and 100m above sea level. Two eggs are laid but usually, only one chick is raised. The egg is incubated for 30 to 36 days with the parents taking turns on the nest (in long 5 to 12-day shifts). After hatching the male stays with the chick for 2 to 3 weeks while the female provides food. Chicks are then left either alone or in loose creches while both parents bring food daily. Chicks moult and go to sea when about 75 days old.
Photos of Fiordland penguins by Glenda Rees
Principal diet
Little is known about the diet of Fiordland penguins. The only study (of adults feeding chicks) suggests a diet of 85% squid with the remainder made up of crustaceans and fish.
Alternative names
Fiordland penguins are sometimes referred to as "Fiordland-crested penguins" and also "Thick-billed penguins". The Maori name for the Fiordland penguin is Tauake.
Distinguishing features
Fiordland penguins are quite similar to Snares penguins. They can be distinguished readily by the thin white streaks on the cheeks.
Chicks have grey-brown backs with white fronts.
Sub-species
There are no generally recognized sub-species of the Fiordland penguin.
Height & Weight
Fiordland penguins stand 50 to 55 cm tall and weigh around 3 to 4 kg with significant variations during the year.
Breeding locations
map of breeding locations
Fiordland penguins breed on the south-west coast of South Island, New Zealand and on Stewart Island. Estimates of the total breeding population vary. In 1984 there were estimated to be 5,000 to 10,000 pairs, but a more recent study (1991 to 1993) suggests there may be fewer than 1,000 pairs.
Nesting behavior
Fiordland penguins are solitary, they make nests in soft ground in dense undergrowth, well apart from one another. Nests can be a long distance from the shore and 100m above sea level. Two eggs are laid but usually, only one chick is raised. The egg is incubated for 30 to 36 days with the parents taking turns on the nest (in long 5 to 12-day shifts). After hatching the male stays with the chick for 2 to 3 weeks while the female provides food. Chicks are then left either alone or in loose creches while both parents bring food daily. Chicks moult and go to sea when about 75 days old.
Photos of Fiordland penguins by Glenda Rees
Principal diet
Little is known about the diet of Fiordland penguins. The only study (of adults feeding chicks) suggests a diet of 85% squid with the remainder made up of crustaceans and fish.
Alternative names
Fiordland penguins are sometimes referred to as "Fiordland-crested penguins" and also "Thick-billed penguins". The Maori name for the Fiordland penguin is Tauake.
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