Bird guideLittle Penguin

Tiny blue-gray penguin with pale eye.

⚠️Not listed
🍃Indigenous: Pibaap, Little Blue Penguin, Fairy Penguin

At a glance

FamilyPenguins
SizeMedium
RarityCommon
HabitatUsually seen swimming on the surface out to sea, or when arriving ashore in the evening.
Best timeMost reliable in Victoria from December to April.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Dr Jennifer Lavers

Range map

Range map

120approx hotspots
543322approx records
4states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

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

Distinguished by small size and pale plumage, lacking any black.

Behavior

Forages for fish and other small marine prey at sea, then comes ashore near dusk to roost and breed in burrows or rocky crevices.

Regional timing

New South Wales
Peak: October to November3,733 records
Victoria
Peak: December to April6,720 records
Tasmania
Peak: October to February3,040 records
Western Australia
Peak: December533 records
South Australia
Peak: July to November878 records
Queensland
Peak: July5 records
Australian Capital Territory
Peak: October to December13 records

Commonly confused with

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