Blue Penguin

The smallest of all penguins, this sub-species is found around the coasts of Otago and Southland to Foveaux Strait, Stewart and outlying islands and up the West Coast to Karamea.

Plumage is slate-blue with a bright white belly. Juveniles are impossible to differentiate from adults and both sexes are identical, although the male is a little heavier and usually has a larger bill.

Breeds underground in burrows, natural holes, or will make use of any man-made cavities such as ready made nesting boxes; only active on land at night when it is very vocal, braying for a mate or crooning to announce its arrival home.

Blue penguins breed for the first time at 2-3 years of age. There is a high rate of juvenile mortality, but individuals can live up to 25 years of age. Two eggs are typically laid and incubated for thirty-six days. Parents share the incubation and feeding duties.

Diving to 10-20m the blue penguin feeds on surface schooling fish, squid and crustaceans, although dive depths of 60m have been recorded. Usually it feeds 25km from the coast.