Bird guideRoyal Penguin

The largest crested penguin, with a diagnostic whitish face.

⚠️Not listed
🌿Endemic to Australia

At a glance

FamilyPenguins
SizeLarge
RarityUncommon
Habitatshrubland, open woodland, waterbodies, and closed forest
Best timeMost reliable in Tasmania from December.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Sander Lagerveld

Range map

Range map

30approx hotspots
3825approx records
2states
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

Note bright yellow, orange, and black plumes. Easily distinguished from Macaroni Penguin by whitish face, and from Chinstrap Penguin by crests.

Behavior

Breeds colonially on Macquarie Island and spends the non-breeding period foraging at sea, sometimes wandering far from the colony.

Regional timing

Tasmania
Peak: December1,065 records
Victoria
Peak: February5 records
South Australia
Peak: February to March2 records
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