Page 59 - 2008 NZ Subantarctic Islands

seem that food supply wouldn’t explain it, nor would predation,

or habitat loss. The crested penguins all breed in the SubAntarctic
islands and a few other isolated spots. Some rockhoppers breed

on the Antarctic Peninsula, and the Fiordland breeds on the
extreme south of the South Island as well as on some nearby

islands.

All these breeds are colonial and fiercely territorial. They mate for

life and always return to their own “hatching” place. They are all
characterized by the flashy yellow or orange crests on the sides of

their heads. Some of these jaunty feathers are erect, some
droopy, others swept back from the eyes, but all are pronounced

and amusing. Their bills are also red or orange and their eyes are
red or red-brown. These birds spend half of the year at sea and

the other half tending their reproductive responsibilities on land
and then about month later coming back for the annual molt they
must undergo along with all species of penguins. They are long-
th
lived and usually do not begin to breed until their 5 year of life.
Two eggs are laid but usually only the second ever hatches. If the

first does happen to hatch, it usually dies within a week of that
event. Both sexes feed the chick but rather oddly in that they do

not feed one another even though each sits for long periods with
the eggs and the newly hatched checks without food for itself.

After about 4-5 weeks of being fed at the nest, all the chicks in the
colony come together to form a crèche (nursery) where they live
about 2-3 weeks being fed by their own parents only.

In size, the cresteds range from the Macaronis who are the largest

at 28” and 10-15 lbs. down to the Rockhoppers who are only 20
inches and weigh no more than 5-6 lbs. Snares and Fjordlands are

22” high and weigh 5-6 lbs. We did not see the Royal (28” but only
9-11 lbs) or the Erect Crested (26” and 8-10 lbs.) since we did not

visit the islands on which they nest.
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