Erect-crested penguin

Erect-crested penguin, (Eudyptes sclateri), species of crested penguin (genus Eudyptes, order Sphenisciformes) characterized by plumes of yellow feathers extending from the bill to the back of the head, running above each eye (the superciliary stripe); the plumes often stand fully upright at the top of the head. Although some members of the species are found along the coasts of Australia, New Zealand, and nearby islands in the Southern Ocean (such as the Auckland Islands, Campbell Island, and Macquarie Island), breeding populations are limited to the Antipodes Islands and Bounty Islands near New Zealand. Erect-crested penguins are often confused with Fiordland penguins (E. pachyrhynchus) and Snares penguins (E. robustus).

Physical features

Standing up to 67 cm (26 inches) tall and weighing as much as 6 kg (about 13 pounds), E. sclateri is among the largest of the six species of crested penguins. Although males are slightly larger than females, adult members of both sexes have black heads, black throats, black backs, and white undersides. The backs of the flippers are coloured black, whereas the undersides are coloured white with black tips. Chicks are brown with white undersides, and juveniles are somewhat smaller than adults, possessing shorter, paler crests and paler chins.

Predators and prey

The species is thought to subsist on krill and fish, but no reliable observations of its feeding habits have been made. Adults sometimes fall prey to Hooker’s sea lions (Phocarctos hookeri) in the ocean. On land eggs and chicks are more vulnerable, falling prey to skuas (Catharacta) and possibly mice.

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Nesting and breeding

Between May and August erect-crested penguins travel widely throughout their range to feed. In early September the males and females congregate in large congested colonies along rocky shores to breed. Courtship displays involve vertical head swinging and trumpetlike vocalizations as well as other calls. In October breeding pairs typically lay two eggs: a small egg that is nearly always lost and a larger egg that is incubated until it hatches. For the first two or three weeks of life, the chick is cared for by its father. The chick then remains with its mother, often within a simple nest of rocks and mud. However, many pairs do not construct nests and simply lay their eggs on bare rock. When its parents are away gathering food, the chick joins a “crèche” (group) with other members of its cohort for protection. In February the chick is old enough to live on its own. Young become sexually mature at four years and may live as long as 18 years.

Conservation status

Ecologists note that the number of erect-crested penguins has been declining since at least the late 1970s. On the Bounty Islands the number of breeding pairs fell from 115,000 in 1978 to 28,000 by 1998. On the Antipodes Islands the population decrease has been less severe, falling from roughly 115,000 breeding pairs in 1978 to between 49,000 and 57,000 breeding pairs in 1995. In addition, evidence of successful breeding on Campbell Island and the Auckland Islands has not been seen since at least the 1980s. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) notes on its Red List of Threatened Species that the greater population continued to decline into the early 21st century, and since 2000 the IUCN has listed the species as endangered. Thus far scientists have not been able to identify the reasons for the decline, but they have been able to rule out excessive mortality associated with hunting or introduced predators.