Royal Penguin
Eudyptes schlegeli
The Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) is a rare penguin found in 3 countries, weighing about 4.2 kg. The royal penguin is a species of penguin, which can be found only on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island and adjacent islands.
About the Royal Penguin
The royal penguin is a species of penguin, which can be found only on the sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island and adjacent islands. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies the royal penguin as Least Concern.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The royal penguin closely resembles the macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus), from which it differs primarily in having a white or pale grey face and chin rather than black. Adults possess a black head, back, and flippers contrasted with white underparts, and bear long yellow-orange crest feathers extending from the forehead over the eyes. The bill is orange-brown with a dark tip, and the eyes are red-brown. Adults typically weigh between 11 and 17 lb, though body mass varies considerably throughout the breeding season. Males are generally slightly larger and heavier than females.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in New Zealand.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, October, November, December, with peak activity in November. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Royal Penguin?
- The royal penguin closely resembles the macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus), from which it differs primarily in having a white or pale grey face and chin rather than black. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Royal Penguin?
- The Royal Penguin is a huge sized bird weighing about 4.2 kg.
- Where can you see a Royal Penguin?
- The Royal Penguin occurs in 3 countries, including Australia and the Falkland Islands.
- What birds look similar to a Royal Penguin?
- The Royal Penguin is most easily confused with the Fiordland Penguin, the Western Rockhopper Penguin and the Snares Penguin.
- Is the Royal Penguin endangered?
- The Royal Penguin is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Royal Penguin for real
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