Yellow-eyed Penguins - Image Author Steve from Bangkok, Thailand

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Yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes) are considered to be the rarest penguins in the world. They inhabit the forest coasts of New Zealand and nearby southern islands. They have the longest ancestry of any living species of penguin and are the only living members of the Megadyptes genus. Their Maori name is Hoiho which means noise shouter.

They are solitary birds unique in both appearance and behavior. Unfortunately over the last 50 years there has bee a drop in numbers due to human encroachment and loss of habitat. They have also been the victims of other species that were introduced to their habitat. Today, there is believed to a population of about 2,000 pairs left.

Description

They get their name because their eyes have a pale yellow iris and a stripe of bright yellow that runs from their eyes and round the back of the head which is crowned with striking golden feathers. Their backs are dark blue-grey and they have a white front and a dark reddish colored beak.

Yellow-eyed penguins are about 30 inches tall and weigh about 14 pounds. They are medium-sized penguins, not as large as Emperor or King penguins but much bigger than the Little Blue and slightly large than Magellanic and Macaroni penguins. Adolescent birds do not have either the yellow plumage on their heads or the yellow stripe from their eyes.

Hunting and Diet

They spend most of their time in the warm sea off New Zealand hunting and feeding. Yellow-eyed penguins are perfectly at home in the water and are excellent underwater swimmers. They can hold their breath for up to 4 minutes while diving to depths of up to 400 feet. They will swim up to 20 miles out to sea visiting hunting grounds on the edge of the continental shelf. There they will hunt for fish such as silverside, sprat, cod, aruhu and squid.

Nests

Yellow-eyed penguins inhabit forest areas along the coasts where they like to build their nests in a secluded position on the ground against a tree, log, or bank. They are solitary and like to keep themselves separate from other penguins. Consequently, they nest in more spread out colonies and are less social than other species of penguin. However because of deforestation by humans they are often forced to make do by using tall grass for cover leaving them and their chicks and eggs vulnerable to predators.

Breeding

They breed from the middle of August to the middle of March. The females will lay two eggs around September to the middle of October. Both parents keep watch over the eggs during the incubation period of about 45 days. Both eggs usually hatch around the beginning of November. One parent will remain with the chicks protecting them while the other goes hunting in the sea for food for the chicks.
Chicks are covered in a layer of thick, dark brown down and males and females look very similar. The males have slightly bigger heads and feet than females.

Unlike other penguin species the chicks do not join nursery groups. Instead the parents will remain with them guarding and feeding them until they are old enough to take to the sea and hunt for themselves. This is usually between the middle of February to the middle of March.

Predators and Threats

Yellow-eyed penguins can live for up to 20 years but are having to face an increasing number of threats to their safety. Even though they are strong, fast swimmers they still fall victims to sharks and seals in the water. Their biggest danger is on land where coastal deforestation by humans leaves them and their chicks and eggs vulnerable to introduced predators such as dogs, cats, ferrets, rats and birds.