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Little penguin, Eudyptula minor
The scientific name of the fairy penguin (or little penguin) Eudyptula minor, is most descriptive. Not only is it the smallest of all penguins, but also the Greek word 'Eudyptula' means 'good little diver'. This flightless seabird breeds in colonies along the southern coast of Australia and around Tasmania. Subspecies are also found in New Zealand.
Very little is known about their populations. However, Tasmanian estimates range from 110 000–190 000 breeding pairs of which less than 5% are found on mainland Tasmania, where increasing human pressure will probably result in their extinction. The most abundant populations are found on our offshore islands. Adults weigh about a kilogram, grow to a height of 40 cm and live, on average, 6 years. In one instance, an age of 21 years has been recorded.
At sea the fairy penguin's streamlined shape and the strong force of its flippers (used underwater in a similar manner to that of birds in the air) enables it to seek prey in shallow short dives, frequently between the 10–30 metres range and very occasionally extending to 60 metres. Its diet varies in different locations but consists mainly of small school fish, some squid or krill (shrimp-like crustaceans). Occasionally items will be taken from the sea floor, such as crab larvae or sea horses. Prey is swallowed whole. Some fairy penguins return consistently to their burrows year round but most stay at sea throughout the autumn-winter period.
The scientific name of the fairy penguin (or little penguin) Eudyptula minor, is most descriptive. Not only is it the smallest of all penguins, but also the Greek word 'Eudyptula' means 'good little diver'. This flightless seabird breeds in colonies along the southern coast of Australia and around Tasmania. Subspecies are also found in New Zealand.
Very little is known about their populations. However, Tasmanian estimates range from 110 000–190 000 breeding pairs of which less than 5% are found on mainland Tasmania, where increasing human pressure will probably result in their extinction. The most abundant populations are found on our offshore islands. Adults weigh about a kilogram, grow to a height of 40 cm and live, on average, 6 years. In one instance, an age of 21 years has been recorded.
At sea the fairy penguin's streamlined shape and the strong force of its flippers (used underwater in a similar manner to that of birds in the air) enables it to seek prey in shallow short dives, frequently between the 10–30 metres range and very occasionally extending to 60 metres. Its diet varies in different locations but consists mainly of small school fish, some squid or krill (shrimp-like crustaceans). Occasionally items will be taken from the sea floor, such as crab larvae or sea horses. Prey is swallowed whole. Some fairy penguins return consistently to their burrows year round but most stay at sea throughout the autumn-winter period.
General penguin facts
Penguins are seabirds that don't fly. They have a beak, feathers and lay eggs. Penguins have modified wings called flippers that they use for swimming in the ocean.
Around the world there are 17 species of penguins. All penguins are found in the southern hemisphere (Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, sub-Antarctic islands, South America and Africa). Little penguins are only found in southern Australia and New Zealand.
Waddling is the most efficient form of movement for penguins. Little legs and big feet make movement awkward on land but waddling helps by raising a penguin's centre of mass, allowing the penguin to swing its body forward.
Little penguins are the smallest penguin in the world at only 33cm (13in) tall and one kilogram (2.2 lbs).
It's all in the beak! Adult females have a thinner beak than males. Males have a distinct hook on the end of their beak.
Little Penguins usually mate for life and their breeding season is variable although it usually begins in August or September. They construct nests in a sheltered rock crevice or they dig a burrow in which to lay their eggs.
Females lay 2 eggs, but depending on the availability of food supplies they may lay up to 3 clutches of eggs in one breeding season. Both parents incubate the eggs and after approximately 5 weeks the chicks hatch.
Up until the chicks are 3 weeks old they are closely cared for by both parents, but for the following 5 weeks both adults go to sea to hunt, only returning to the chicks to feed them. When the youngsters reach 8 weeks old they are ready to leave the nest and fend for themselves.
Penguins on land
On land little penguins live in holes in the ground known as burrows. These burrows provide a place for little penguins to rest, nest and moult. Burrows also provide protection from predators and extreme heat.
While on land little penguins remain inside their burrows during the day to avoid predators.
Depending on the season, a little penguin may spend between one day and one month at sea. When little penguins are breeding they will regularly return to incubate the eggs and feed their chicks. During winter little penguins spend more time at sea chasing fish and only return to rest and renovate their burrows.
When returning to land little penguins will only cross the beach at sunset. Crossing the beach in darkness provides protection against potential predators.
The main predators of Little Penguins include southern fur seals, leopard seals, sea lions, killer whales, foxes, dogs, cats, sea eagles and large gulls. Eggs and chicks fall prey to rats, weasels, stoats, snakes and lizards.
Little penguins usually remain in the same colony their whole lives. They typically retun to within 40 metres of the area they were born. Little penguins find their burrows by looking for familiar landmarks.
http://penguinfoundation.org.au/about-little-penguins/#General1
http://www.theanimalfiles.com/birds/penguins/little_penguin.html
Penguins are seabirds that don't fly. They have a beak, feathers and lay eggs. Penguins have modified wings called flippers that they use for swimming in the ocean.
Around the world there are 17 species of penguins. All penguins are found in the southern hemisphere (Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica, sub-Antarctic islands, South America and Africa). Little penguins are only found in southern Australia and New Zealand.
Waddling is the most efficient form of movement for penguins. Little legs and big feet make movement awkward on land but waddling helps by raising a penguin's centre of mass, allowing the penguin to swing its body forward.
Little penguins are the smallest penguin in the world at only 33cm (13in) tall and one kilogram (2.2 lbs).
It's all in the beak! Adult females have a thinner beak than males. Males have a distinct hook on the end of their beak.
Little Penguins usually mate for life and their breeding season is variable although it usually begins in August or September. They construct nests in a sheltered rock crevice or they dig a burrow in which to lay their eggs.
Females lay 2 eggs, but depending on the availability of food supplies they may lay up to 3 clutches of eggs in one breeding season. Both parents incubate the eggs and after approximately 5 weeks the chicks hatch.
Up until the chicks are 3 weeks old they are closely cared for by both parents, but for the following 5 weeks both adults go to sea to hunt, only returning to the chicks to feed them. When the youngsters reach 8 weeks old they are ready to leave the nest and fend for themselves.
Penguins on land
On land little penguins live in holes in the ground known as burrows. These burrows provide a place for little penguins to rest, nest and moult. Burrows also provide protection from predators and extreme heat.
While on land little penguins remain inside their burrows during the day to avoid predators.
Depending on the season, a little penguin may spend between one day and one month at sea. When little penguins are breeding they will regularly return to incubate the eggs and feed their chicks. During winter little penguins spend more time at sea chasing fish and only return to rest and renovate their burrows.
When returning to land little penguins will only cross the beach at sunset. Crossing the beach in darkness provides protection against potential predators.
The main predators of Little Penguins include southern fur seals, leopard seals, sea lions, killer whales, foxes, dogs, cats, sea eagles and large gulls. Eggs and chicks fall prey to rats, weasels, stoats, snakes and lizards.
Little penguins usually remain in the same colony their whole lives. They typically retun to within 40 metres of the area they were born. Little penguins find their burrows by looking for familiar landmarks.
http://penguinfoundation.org.au/about-little-penguins/#General1
http://www.theanimalfiles.com/birds/penguins/little_penguin.html
Colonies and nest sites
Most resident birds in a colony return to their burrows in small groups within an hour or so of darkness. Their return is preceded by groups of penguins gathering beyond the surf where they may be heard calling to each other. With large colonies hundreds of birds may come ashore in a brief space of time. Nests are usually at least 2 m apart and generally consist of a 60–80 cm tunnel with a nest 'bowl' at the end. Other nests may vary from mere scrapes beneath a clump of tussock, to elaborate connecting tunnels or a home amongst coastal rocks.
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=5091
Most resident birds in a colony return to their burrows in small groups within an hour or so of darkness. Their return is preceded by groups of penguins gathering beyond the surf where they may be heard calling to each other. With large colonies hundreds of birds may come ashore in a brief space of time. Nests are usually at least 2 m apart and generally consist of a 60–80 cm tunnel with a nest 'bowl' at the end. Other nests may vary from mere scrapes beneath a clump of tussock, to elaborate connecting tunnels or a home amongst coastal rocks.
http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=5091
Every year little penguins grow a new set of feathers in a process known as moulting. New, clean feathers are important for keeping penguins waterproof throughout the year.
Little penguins usually moult sometime between February and April. The moulting process takes up to 17 days during which time little penguins are not waterproof and must remain on land. Before moulting, penguins eat lots of fish to survive the time they must spend on land.
http://penguinfoundation.org.au/about-little-penguins/#General1
Listen to the sounds of little penguins
Penguins at sea
Penguins have many features for a life at sea, including:
Penguins have many features for a life at sea, including:
- Modified wings called flippers to 'fly' through the water
- A gland to spread an oil like substance over their feathers when preening to help keep them waterproof
- A streamlined shape
- Waterproof feathers (outer layer)
- A layer of down next to their skin to trap air and keep them warm
- A salt gland above their eyes to filter salt from seawater, providing penguins with freshwater.
Adult little penguins are the only penguins in the world with blue and white feathers instead of black and white feathers. The dark back of penguins blends in with the water to camouflage against anything flying or swimming overhead, and the light stomach blends in with the sky to camouflage against anything swimming underneath.
Researchers use satellite and GPS trackers to record where penguins go at sea. Satellite tracking from Phillip Island Nature Parks shows that Phillip Island's little penguins swim an average 15 to 50 kilometres (9-31 miles) a day. This includes diving up an down as they look for fish. Little penguins swim at an average speed of 2-4 km/hr.
The deepest little penguin dive recorded is 72 meters. An average dive in search of fish is between 5 and 20 metres.
The longest little penguin dive recorded was 1 minute 56 seconds.
Little penguins must go to sea to find food, preferring to eat fish such as pilchards, anchovies, warehou, red cod and barracouta and a small quantity of squid.
http://penguinfoundation.org.au/about-little-penguins/#General1
Researchers use satellite and GPS trackers to record where penguins go at sea. Satellite tracking from Phillip Island Nature Parks shows that Phillip Island's little penguins swim an average 15 to 50 kilometres (9-31 miles) a day. This includes diving up an down as they look for fish. Little penguins swim at an average speed of 2-4 km/hr.
The deepest little penguin dive recorded is 72 meters. An average dive in search of fish is between 5 and 20 metres.
The longest little penguin dive recorded was 1 minute 56 seconds.
Little penguins must go to sea to find food, preferring to eat fish such as pilchards, anchovies, warehou, red cod and barracouta and a small quantity of squid.
http://penguinfoundation.org.au/about-little-penguins/#General1
Burnie Little Penguin Observation Centre
The Little Penguin Observation Centre was constructed at Parsonage Point on the western end of West Beach, but not before hundreds of penguin igloo apartments were hand made and cleverly located by local volunteers. Their latest project involves rebuilding native sea bird habitat further west.
Around dusk, from September to March, little penguins noisily waddle ashore to nest in their burrows, and every evening during the season Friends of Burnie Penguins offer free interpretative tours for visitors.
It may not have seemed possible once, but Burnie has cleaned up its act when it comes to our burrowing neighbours, with the help of a clear vision and thousands of volunteer hours.
The Little Penguin Observation Centre is located on the western end of West Beach linked to the city via a beach boardwalk.
http://www.discoverburnie.net/what-to-see/penguins.html
The Little Penguin Observation Centre was constructed at Parsonage Point on the western end of West Beach, but not before hundreds of penguin igloo apartments were hand made and cleverly located by local volunteers. Their latest project involves rebuilding native sea bird habitat further west.
Around dusk, from September to March, little penguins noisily waddle ashore to nest in their burrows, and every evening during the season Friends of Burnie Penguins offer free interpretative tours for visitors.
It may not have seemed possible once, but Burnie has cleaned up its act when it comes to our burrowing neighbours, with the help of a clear vision and thousands of volunteer hours.
The Little Penguin Observation Centre is located on the western end of West Beach linked to the city via a beach boardwalk.
http://www.discoverburnie.net/what-to-see/penguins.html