Details
Eudyptula minor
The little penguin is among the smallest penguins, living around Australasian coasts. Its bluish back and small size are distinctive, and birds return to land around dusk.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It uses coastal waters and islands of the Australasian, Pacific, and Southern Ocean regions. Nests are placed in dunes, rock crevices, vegetation, or artificial boxes.
Length is 30-43 cm and weight 900-1600 g. The back is blue-grey, the belly white, and the wings are flipper-like for swimming; the body is compact and rounded.
Activity around colonies is crepuscular, with birds feeding at sea by day and returning after dark. They move in groups on land and swim agilely underwater.
A carnivore, it eats small fish, squid, and krill. Underwater it beats its flippers like wings to chase schooling prey.
Pairs breed in burrows or crevices, sharing incubation and feeding. Chicks receive regurgitated fish caught at sea.
It is listed as Least Concern. Coastal development, dogs, foxes, fisheries, and marine pollution can affect individual colonies.
