Macaroni Penguin Eudyptes chrysolophus

A regular follower of this blog, who wishes to remain anonymous (don’t worry, mum – it’s our little secret) frequently complains that there isn’t enough factual information in some of my posts so here goes on one of favourite subjects …

Macaroni Penguins are the largest of the six crested penguin species. They breed between October and March. Adults arrive at the colonies and lay an A egg and a B egg. Colonies are usually on rocky slopes or in the tussocks. In the majority of nesting attempts, the A egg will fail when the B egg is laid and the B egg will then subsequently succeed. Once the female has laid, the male and female share the responsibility of incubation for the first 12 days. This is then followed by a 10 day shift by the female, followed by a 12 day shift by the male. Once the chick has hatched, the male will continue to guard and incubate the chick for 20-25 days whilst the female completes daily foraging trips. This is followed by a “crèche” period, where chicks gather in small groups for protection, allowing both adults to forage.

Macaroni Penguin chicks left to entertain themselves whilst the adults forage

Adults tend to stay on the colony overnight and forage from early morning until late evening. After the chicks have fledged, all birds will leave the colony and head to sea, often migrating north, until the following breeding season.

Fact File

Range – Mainly found breeding around the Antarctic Convergence – Sub Antarctic Islands and Antarctic Peninsula, south of other crested penguins
Status– Declining – IUCN threatened species
Productivity – 1 chick per nest
Incubation Period – 35 days
Fledging Period – 60-70 days

Close up of a macaroni chick – just a few more weeks until fledging

Total Population: 10,000,000 pairs
Largest populations: South Georgia 5,000,000 pairs
Diet: Mainly krill and small fish
Fact: Macaroni penguins complete an ‘ecstatic display’ in pairs, which allows pairs to recognise each other

Ecstatically displaying Macaroni Penguins

Weight: 4.5 – 6Kg
Height: 24-28 inches
Fact: Their crest develops with age

Macaroni Penguin giving it the l’Oreal flick to maintain his crest behind an uninterested chinstrap

Sexual Dimorphism: females smaller
Diving Depth: 50m – birds spend little or no time at the base of their dive meaning the dive is V shaped
Diving Time: 2 minutes

Sexual Maturity : 5 in females – 6 in males

Breeding macaroni penguins

Fact: Males will return to the same nest annually to display – more often than not breeding with the same female in consecutive years (mainly monogamous)
Predators: Leopard Seals, Antarctic Fur Seals and Killer Whales

One of the Macaroni Penguins’ predators – Antarctic Fur Seals