Bird guideSnares Penguin

Breeds exclusively on the Snares Islands with a total population of about 25,000 breeding pairs.

⚠️Not listed

At a glance

FamilyPenguins
SizeLarge
RarityRare
HabitatThe species is rated as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as its breeding range is restricted to one small island group.
Best timeMost reliable in Tasmania from September.

Sounds

Sound sample
0:000:00
Recorded by Frank Lambert

Range map

Range map

1visible hotspots
1visible records
1states
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

Also look for prominent pale pink skin at the base of its chunky red bill. Breeds in colonies only on the Snare Islands. Adults disperse widely in winter. Vagrants recorded molting around South, Stewart, Chatham, and Subantarctic Islands. Forages in small groups at sea. Distinguished from Fiordland Penguin by conspicuous pale pink skin at the base of the larger bill and the lack of white cheek stripes. Told apart from Erect-crested Penguin by crest beginning toward the top of the bill and splaying out more dramatically. Rockhopper Penguin is smaller.

Behavior

Note the thin, vivid yellow eyebrow that droops behind the eye to form a bushy tufted crest.

Regional timing

Tasmania
Peak: September1 records
Victoria
Peak: August1 records
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