Bird Guide

Western Rockhopper Penguin vs Yellow-eyed Penguin

Western Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome)

Western Rockhopper Penguin

Eudyptes chrysocome

Huge2.3 kgMarine

This is the smallest of the yellow-crested, black-and-white penguins in the genus Eudyptes. It reaches a length of 45–58 cm (18–23 in) and typically weighs 2–3.4 kg (4.4–7.5 lb), although there are records of exceptionally large rockhoppers weighing 4.5 kg (9.9 lb). It has slate-grey upper parts and has straight, bright yellow eyebrows ending in long yellowish plumes projecting sideways behind a red eye.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Nick / from United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Yellow-eyed Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes)

Yellow-eyed Penguin

Megadyptes antipodes

Huge5.3 kgMarine

The yellow-eyed penguin (M. a. antipodes) is most easily identified by the band of pale yellow feathers surrounding its eyes and encircling the back of its head. Its forehead, crown and the sides of its face are slate grey flecked with golden yellow. Its eye is yellow. The foreneck and sides of the head are light brown. The back and tail are slate blue-black. Its chest, stomach, thighs and the underside of its flippers are white in colour. Juvenile birds have a greyer head with no yellow band around their eyes.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl · CC BY 2.5

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Western Rockhopper Penguin and Yellow-eyed Penguin.