Fiordland crested penguin

How it lives

Fiordland crested penguins nest in small loose colonies on inaccessible headlands and islets. Males arrive at the nest sites in July and females follow about two weeks later. They lay two eggs but usually raise only one chick, which goes to sea at about 75 days old, in late November or early December. After breeding, adults return ashore to moult.

Where it goes

Fiordland crested penguins breed in loose colonies along the south-west coast of New Zealand's South Island and on Stewart Island and nearby islets, mostly from July to December. After breeding they come ashore again to moult, mid-January to early March. Where they feed at sea is not well known. One source notes that little is known of their marine ecology.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

New Zealand only. The 1990s surveys counted about 2,260 nests, which is probably an undercount. The Department of Conservation gives 2,500 to 3,000 breeding pairs and says numbers have fallen since the 1950s. The trend is probably still downward. The IUCN lists it as Near Threatened (2020). Threats include introduced predators such as stoats and dogs, fishing bycatch in set nets and inshore trawls, and disturbance.