| Background Information |
It's easy to confuse the Snares Island penguins with some of the other crested penguins, especially while they're swimming. Unlike the Fiordland crested penguins, Snares Island penguins lack the tufts of white feathers on their cheeks. Their crests aren't as elaborate as Rockhopper crests, and they aren't erect like those of the Erect-crested penguin. Snares Island penguins are, however, monomorphic and it's difficult to differentiate the sexes. Most often this requires some behavioural cue.
Snares Island pneguins inhabit, as one can imagine, the Snares Isalnds. It is on these islands that they breed as well. This colonial species doesn't stem much beyond the coasts of the Snares Island, so they aren't migratory.
The Snares Island penguins are an exclusive bunch; they don't receive many visitors at their sheltered domains. Since population estimates place them at 23,000 breeding pairs, they are considered a very vulnerable species. While they have no natural land predators, they do have to contend with the usual sea-going mammals like Hooker's sea lions. Eggs and chicks compete for life with Giant petrels and Brown skuas. Snares Island penguins survive on the marine crustaceans and small fish that populate the warm waters of Southern New Zealand.
The video and audio below can demonstrate the excitement associated with breeding season; there's much fighting and jockeying for territory and resources. WHen all is settled, pairs usually are successful in laying two eggs; however, the first egg fails to hatch. If the family is successful in thwarting predation, the second egg hatches and the chick survives.
| Author Bernard Stonehouse |
Snares Island Penguins Eudyptes robustus nest only on the Snares Islands, 100 kilometres south of Stewart Island. Closely akin to Fiordland penguins, they differ in their heavier bill with prominent white fillet of skin at the base, and entirely black cheek feathers. They nest under trees and shrubs on their forested islands, canopied from the bright sun; colonies of several hundred pairs are characteristic, and the breeding grounds shift as the sheltering vegetation is destroyed. Aspects of breeding and general biology have been discussed by Stonehouse (1971) and Warham (...in press).
| Snares Island penguin multimedia |
- A bunch of Snares Island penguins standing on a cliff
- Snares penguins contedning with kelp
- A group of penguins standing about
- Just like other penguins, the Snares penguins love swimming
Those awesome little Snares Island people. (© PBS)
Boys will be boys: Snares Island penguins fighting (.wav, 181k)
Snares Island penguin fact sheet. (PDF, 111k)
