Seabird Picture of the Month, May 2003:
Snares Penguin
photo and text by Melanie Massaro

Snares penguins (Eudyptes robustus) are endemic to the Snares Islands, a group of islands 200 km south of New Zealand. The Snares penguin is one of five species that are collectively known as the crested penguins. All crested penguins share an eccentric look (with long yellow plumes attached to their forehead) and an even more peculiar breeding strategy. These penguins are distinguished by laying two eggs but only fledging one chick. The first-laid egg is up to 70% smaller than the second-laid egg, and while in Snares penguins, both chicks may hatch, the smaller chick (derived from the first-laid egg, which hatches after the larger second-laid egg) usually starves to death. To this day, it still not fully understood why Snares penguins follow this breeding strategy.

For more information on penguins check out: www.penguin.net.nz

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