The Fiordland penguin (''Eudyptes pachyrhynchus''), also known as the Fiordland crested penguin (in Māori, ''tawaki'' or pokotiwha), is a crested penguin species endemic to New Zealand. It currently breeds along the south-western coasts of New Zealand's

South Island The South Island, also officially named , is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand in surface area, the other being the smaller but more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman ...

as well as on Stewart Island/Rakiura and its outlying islands. Because it originally ranged beyond Fiordland, it is sometimes referred to as the New Zealand crested penguin. It is occasionally found in Australia.

Taxonomy

The Fiordland crested penguin was described in 1845 by English zoologist George Robert Gray, its specific epithet derived from the Ancient Greek ''pachy-''/παχυ- "thick" and ''rhynchos''/ρύγχος "beak". It is one of six species in the genus ''Eudyptes'', the generic name derived from the Ancient Greek ''eu''/ευ "good" and ''dyptes''/δύπτης "diver".

Description

This species is a medium-sized, yellow-crested, black-and-white penguin, growing to approximately long and weighing on average , with a weight range of .''CRC Handbook of Avian Body Masses'' by John B. Dunning Jr. (Editor). CRC Press (1992), . It has dark, bluish-grey upperparts with a darker head, and white underparts. Its broad, yellow eyebrow-stripe extends over the eye and drops down the neck. It can be distinguished from the similar

erect-crested penguin The erect-crested penguin (''Eudyptes sclateri'') is a penguin endemic to the New Zealand region and only breeds on the Bounty Islands, Bounty and Antipodes Islands. It has black upper parts, white underparts and a yellow eye stripe and crest. I ...

(''Eudyptes sclateri'') and Snares penguin (''Eudyptes robustus'') in having no bare skin around the base of its bill. Female Fiordland penguins lay a clutch of two eggs where the first-laid egg is much smaller than the second egg, generally hatches later, and shows higher mortality, demonstrating a brood reduction system that is unique from other avian groups.

Distribution and habitat

This penguin nests in colonies among tree roots and rocks in dense temperate coastal forest. It breeds along the shores in the West Coast of the South Island, south of about

Bruce Bay Bruce Bay is a bay and settlement in South Westland, New Zealand on the Tasman Sea. It is located on State Highway 6, northeast of Haast and southwest of Fox Glacier. The small settlement of Bruce Bay is located just south of the mouth of Mahit ...

and the

Open Bay Islands The Open Bay Islands are located in South Westland, off the south-west coast of the South Island of New Zealand. They consist of two main islands, Taumaka and Popotai, plus several smaller islets and rocks. They lie approximately offshore from ...

, around Fiordland and Foveaux Strait, and on Stewart Island/Rakiura and its outlying islands. Fossils of this species have been found as far north as the northern end of the South Island, and they probably once nested in the North Island as well. Their range drastically reduced by hunting in Polynesian times, and they are now only found in the least-populated part of New Zealand. The species is also present in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Diet

The main prey species reported are cephalopods (85%, mainly arrow squid, ''Nototodarus sloanii''), followed by crustaceans (13%, primarily krill, '' Nyctiphanes australis'') and fish (2%, mainly red cod and hoki). However, the importance of cephalopods might be exaggerated. Prey taken seems to vary between Codfish Island and northern Fiordland.

Conservation

Fiordland crested penguins are classed as vulnerable to extinction by the

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

, and their status was changed from vulnerable to endangered by the

Department of Conservation An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment, ...

in 2013. Surveys in the 1990s counted 2,500 pairs, though this was likely an underestimate; based on historic trends, the population is probably continuing to decline. The main threats are introduced predators such dogs, cats,

rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include ''Neotoma'' ( pack rats), ''Bandicota'' (bandicoot ...

s, and especially stoats. They are also vulnerable to human disturbance, fleeing nests and leaving chicks exposed to predators.

References

External links

State of Penguins: Fiordland penguin – detailed and current species account of ''(Eudyptes pachyrhynchus)''

The Tawaki Project - Current research project on Fiordland penguins

* ttp://www.penguinworld.com/types/fiordland.html Penguin World: Fiordland penguin
www.pinguins.info information about all species of penguins
*
Fiordland penguin - www.penguins.com.au
* Fiordland penguin discussed on RNZ ''Critter of the Week''
24 March 2017Fiordland Crested Penguin, New Zealand Birds Online
{{Taxonbar, from=Q622637 Eudyptes Penguins Birds of the South Island Fiordland Vulnerable fauna of Oceania Birds described in 1845 Taxa named by George Robert Gray Endemic birds of New Zealand