Southern Rockhopper Penguin

Eudyptes chrysocome

With their distinctive spiky yellow eyebrows and bouncing movement up steep cliffs, these feisty little penguins are true daredevils of the Southern Ocean.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is a small, distinctive penguin with a black back, white belly, and bright yellow crest feathers above red eyes. Its robust red-orange beak and pink feet contrast with its sleek black and white plumage.

Males are slightly larger than females, with more pronounced crests. Juveniles lack the yellow crest, instead having a grayish-white face. The species does not exhibit seasonal plumage changes.

Size

Length

45cm to 58cm

Wingspan

66cm to 77cm

Weight

2kg to 3.4kg

Colours

Male Female

Primary Colour

Black White

Secondary Colour

Yellow

Beak Colour

Orange Red

Leg Colour

Pink

Primary Colour (Female)

Black White

Secondary Colour (Female)

Yellow

Beak Colour (Female)

Orange Red

Leg Colour (Female)

Pink

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Southern Rockhopper Penguin is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Southern Rockhopper Penguins inhabit rocky, coastal areas of subantarctic and temperate southern oceans. They breed on islands in the southern Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, including the Falkland Islands and islands near southern Chile.

During non-breeding seasons, they disperse into surrounding waters, sometimes travelling hundreds of kilometres from their breeding sites.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 100 meters

Climate zones

Subantarctic, Temperate

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Southern Rockhopper Penguin. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons