- Megadyptes antipodes
Identification
Length 66-76cm (26-30 in)
Adult is slate-grey above and white below. Forehead and crown are golden-yellow with black shaft-streaks and a yellow band extends around hindcrown from eye to eye. Cheeks pale golden, throat and sides of neck yellow-brown. Iris yellow, bill dull red with browner tip, feet pinkish.
Juvenile is similar to adult but lacks the golden-yellow band on its head.
Distribution
Breeds in southern South Island, New Zealand from Oamaru to Stewart Island, also on the Auckland and Campbell Islands but not recorded from the Snares, Antipodes or Bounty Islands.
Probably mainly sedentary with some wandering of immatures and recorded north to the Banks Peninsula, rarely Cook Strait.
Taxonomy
Although considered monotypic,[1] a 2009 study (Boessenkool et al.) revealed substantial genetic differences between the South Island population and those in Auckland and Campbell Islands[3]. The two groups may represent cryptic species.
Habitat
Breeds on grassy cliff-tops, in coastal scrub and low forest, sometimes at some distance from the sea, otherwise at sea. Present at colonies August-March.
Behaviour
Breeding
Colonial breeder, nest made of sticks and grass in holes among rocks, tree-roots and dense vegetation. Eggs: two, creamy-white, laid in September/October and both incubated. Incubated for about 40-45 days by both sexes. Young fed by both sexes and fledge at 110-115 days. remain in nest hole for up to 7 months. Attain adult plumage at 12 months.
Diet
Diet consists of Crustaceans, small fish and squid.
Vocalisation
Various trumpeting and barking calls and a disyllabic contact call with the a slurred first note similar to Weka Gallirallus australis.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- BirdLife International. 2016. Megadyptes antipodes. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22697800A93640603. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22697800A93640603.en. Downloaded on 20 February 2017.
- Boessenkool, S., Star, B., Waters, J.M. & Seddon, P.J. (2009) Multilocus assignment analyses reveal multiple units and rare migration events in the recently expanded Yellow-eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes). Mol. Ecol. 18(11): 2390–2400.
- Marchant, S. & Higgins, P.J. (coordinating editors) 1990. Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds. Volume 1, Ratites to ducks; Part A, Ratites to petrels. Melbourne, Oxford University Press.
- Martínez, I., Christie, D.A., Jutglar, F. & Garcia, E.F.J. (2017). Yellow-eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. & de Juana, E. (eds.). Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/52467 on 20 February 2017).
- Seddon, P.J. 2013. Yellow-eyed Penguin. In Miskelly, C.M. (ed.) New Zealand Birds Online. http://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Yellow-eyed Penguin. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Yellow-eyed_Penguin
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
