Seabird Picture of the Month, June 2004:
Yellow-eyed Penguin
photo by Melanie Massaro
text by Jennifer Wetzel

With only 5,000 to 6,000 individuals remaining, the Yellow-eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) is said to be the rarest penguin in the world. They can be found nesting in forest and shrub-land along the coast in southern regions of New Zealand and on two remote sub-Antarctic islands. These charismatic birds are called Hoiho, or ‘noise shouter,’ by the Maori of New Zealand and like many other native birds of New Zealand, they have been severely affected by habitat loss and invasive predators. Their predators include members of the mustelid family such as stoats, ferrets and weasels, but domesticated dogs and cats may have caused the most damage. In addition, Yellow-eyed Penguins are affected by the spread of pasture land, agriculture and deforestation along the shoreline. Without vegetative cover, their natural habitat becomes too dangerous for nesting.

Fortunately for the Hoiho, New Zealanders are raising public awareness to preserve this species. The NZ Department of Conservation treats Yellow-eyed Penguins as a Threatened Species and organizations such as the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust are creating more penguin reserves, re-vegetating coastal areas, controlling predators and educating the public. Conservation groups and volunteers have already re-planted tens of thousands of trees and shrubs in the hopes of seeing more of these birds in the future.

To hear a soundclip of the Noise Shouter at work, go to:

http://www.yellow-eyedpenguin.org.nz/resources/soundclips.html

To visit the Yellow eyed Penguin Trust site, go to:

http://www.yellow-eyedpenguin.org.nz/

To donate a tree for a penguin nest, go to:

To learn more about other seabirds, browse the Seabird Flash Cards on the Seabird Page of this website.