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Southern Rockhopper Penguin

Southern rockhopper penguins use impressive hopping leaps to scale the steep, rocky shorelines where they live — bouncing from rock to rock with impressive agility!

 

Southern rockhopper penguins are small, sturdy penguins that sport distinctive yellow feathers along the side of the heads. Adults typically stand about 55 centimeters (21.7 inches) tall. When they are not breeding, they spend much of their time out at sea in the Southern Ocean, but they will come ashore to breed, forming huge colonies on remote subantarctic islands. Here, they make their nests and burrows along rocky coastlines in high grasses called tussocks. These colonies are full of activity and noise, with individuals letting out loud cries to announce their presence, establish their territory boundaries, and attract a mate. When it comes to wooing, penguins also shake to show off the yellow feathers on their head and get a potential mate’s attention!

Once a pair has come together, both parents share responsibility in raising their chicks. Months later, after the chick fledges and departs the colony, the penguins will return to the sea. Skilled foragers, Southern rockhopper penguins will dive to catch krill, squid, crustaceans, and small fish. They may spend up to five months at sea at a time!

 

 

Southern rockhopper penguin populations have declined rapidly over the past several decades, with impacts from climate change believed to be a significant cause. Water temperature changes have impacted food availability in the past, and may be a continued threat for food security for these penguins as these temperatures vary. Other shifts, such as increasing predation by eared seals as waters warm — although this predation is natural — might put additional pressure on penguin populations, and have led to this species being considered ”Vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List.

 

 

Increased monitoring of penguin populations and the causes of their decline are critical to designing and implementing conservation efforts needed to turn things around for these seabirds. Additionally, taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change — like stopping the expansion of offshore drilling — are key to protecting ocean abundance and critical food sources for species like Southern rockhopper penguins.

 

 

  • Animal Diversity Web 
  • Cherel, Y. & Tremblay, Y. (2005) Spatial and temporal variation in the provisioning behaviour of female rockhopper penguins Eudyptes chrysocome filholi. Journal of Aviation Biology 36: 135-145. https://doi.org/10.1111/J.0908-8857.2005.03309.X 
  • IUCN Red List 
  • Pütz, K., Rey, A.N.R., & Otley, H. (2013) Southern Rockhopper Penguin. In P.G. Borborogula & P.D. Boersma (Eds.), Penguins: Natural History and Conservation p. 113-129. University of Washington Press. 

 

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