Penguin Village: Facts About Rockhopper Penguins

Rckhopper penguins are charismatic, flightless, marine birds. They are the smallest species of crested penguin (genus Eudyptes) and closely related to the Macaroni penguin. Many experts consider there to be 3 subspecies of Rockhoppers worldwide.

The Southern (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome), Eastern (Eudyptes chrysocome filholi), and Northern Rockhoppers (Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi), though there is not yet a consensus of opinion on this.

Rockhopper Penguin - Image Author: Author su neko

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Range

Rockhoppers are located in sub-Antarctic regions such as the Falkland Islands, Macquarie Island, Campbell Island, the Antipodes and Tristan da Cunha. Their population is estimated at 4 million pairs and but has been in decline for many years.

The Falkland Islands also have populations of King, Macaroni, Magellanic and Gentoo penguins as well as Rockhoppers. Reports from there say that penguin populations have been significantly reduced due to an algae bloom, possible caused by global warming, killing many penguins in 2002 and 2003. Some species have revived but the Rockhopper is still struggling and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature has classed it as 'vulnerable.'

They live in colonies in rocky coastal regions and get their name from the way they get around by bounding with both feet together from rock to rock and up steep slippery slopes

Description

As crested penguins Rockhoppers have thin yellow tufts of feathers over the eyes which look like long eyebrows and spiky black feathers crowning the tops of their heads. They have a reddish-orange beak and small red eyes.

Their breast and underbelly is mostly white and their backs, heads and faces are dark bluish black. Though very similar in appearance males are larger than the females. They grow up to 23 inches tall and can weigh up to 8 pounds. Although smaller than many penguin species they are not as small as Little Blue penguins.

Rockhoppers are excellent swimmers using their webbed feet and powerful flippers for propulsion through the water. They use pursuit diving techniques to catch krill, lantern fish and squid.

Nesting and Breeding

During the breeding season in the summer a breeding pair will build their nests in stony crevices and burrows hidden among rocks and boulders, or on stony slopes of open shores. Females usually lay two eggs with the first egg usually being the smaller. This first egg is often lost and very often does not always manage to hatch.

Both males and female take turns at caring for the chick. Male Rockhoppers, as in other penguin species, have specialized digestive systems which have the ability to produce a 'milk' which is fed to their chicks by regurgitation when the female is absent.

Their colonies are smaller than other species of penguin and though they are small they are raucous and aggressive. They compete fiercely for mating partners, territory and nesting materials.

Ecstatic Vocalization

Rockhoppers use an extremely loud cry known as 'ecstatic vocalization' to warn of their whereabouts, claim and warn others off their territory and also to attract the attentions of a mate. They will also shake their heads in such a way to attract a mate that their long tufted eyebrows of yellow look like a halo around their heads. As well as loud vocalizations they communicate by bowing, gesturing, flipper waving, head shaking and preening.

Predators and Threats

In the wild, Rockhoppers have a lifespan of around ten years depending on their luck in avoiding predators. Their main predators in the sea are leopard seals, blue sharks, and fur seals. They face threats on land from skuas, Kelp gulls, petrels and other birds which steal their eggs and kill their chicks. They also face threats from global warming, pollution and overfishing.