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2

Little Penguin

(Eudyptula minor)
Alternate name(s): "Fairy Penguin", "Little Blue Penguin", "Blue Penguin"
Aboriginal name(s): Race "novaehollandiae": "widi", "koolidja" (S WA)

Size: 35-45 cm
Weight: 0.5-2.1 kg
Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Little Penguin at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "novaehollandiae"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Little Penguin clambering towards the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. Kilda pier, Melbourne, VIC, October 2017]

Frontal view of a Little Penguin, with one of its mates close behind (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bicheno, TAS, September 2021]

Frontal view of 3 Little Penguins, two of which are preening (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bicheno, TAS, September 2021]

Near-frontal view of a Little Penguin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bicheno, TAS, September 2021]

Near-lateral view of a Little Penguin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bicheno, TAS, September 2021]

Lateral view of a Little Penguin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. Kilda pier, Melbourne, VIC, October 2017]

Lateral view of a Little Penguin (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[St. Kilda pier, Melbourne, VIC, October 2017]

Lateral view of 3 Little Penguins, one of which is issuing its call (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Bicheno, TAS, September 2021]

Close-up frontal view of a Little Penguin (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Refuge Centre, Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]

Close-up frontal view of a Little Penguin (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Refuge Centre, Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]

Close-up frontal view of two Little Penguins (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Refuge Centre, Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a Little Penguin (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Refuge Centre, Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]

Close-up lateral view of a Little Penguin (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Refuge Centre, Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]

Lateral view of a swimming Little Penguin; note the slick surface (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Refuge Centre, Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]

Close-up dorsal view of a Little Penguin (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Refuge Centre, Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]

Behaviour

Prior to moulting, which will make it impossible for them to hunt under water, Little Penguins will fatten up, from their usual body weight of about 1 kg to ca. 2.5 kg.

Close-up lateral view of a fattened up, pre-moult Little Penguin (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Refuge Centre, Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]

Comparison between a fattened up Little Penguin and one at normal weight (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Refuge Centre, Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]

Comparison between a fattened up Little Penguin and two at normal weight (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Refuge Centre, Penguin Island, near Rockingham, WA, October 2022]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

litpeng_me_20210927.m4a novaehollandiae
(TAS)
Contact calls(?) © ME
litpeng_me_20210927_2.m4a novaehollandiae
(TAS)
Contact calls(?) © ME

More Little Penguin sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site?
If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.