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Large, spectacular, and basically unmistakable penguin that is rarely seen away from well-known colony sites.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyPenguins
SizeGiant
RarityCommon
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timeMost reliable in Tasmania from December.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Meena Haribal
Range map
Range map
5visible hotspots
17visible records
2states
SparseModerateDense hotspot
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Also note the golden neck patches (can fade to whitish on immatures) and pink bill base (bill starts out black on immature). Breeding season requires more than a year, so birds can be seen year-round at colonies.
Behavior
The long and stout bill distinguishes King from the even larger but shorter-billed Emperor Penguin, which is a true Antarctic species, rarely seen far from ice.
Gallery