Western Rockhopper Penguin
Eudyptes chrysocome
The Western Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) is a rare penguin found in 8 countries, weighing about 2.3 kg. The western rockhopper penguin is a species of rockhopper penguin.
About the Western Rockhopper Penguin
The western rockhopper penguin is a species of rockhopper penguin. It occurs in subantarctic waters around the southern coast of South America and nearby islands.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
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.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in South Africa, United Kingdom, Uruguay.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, March, October, November, December, with peak activity in January. It is a summer visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Western Rockhopper Penguin?
- This is the smallest of the yellow-crested, black-and-white penguins in the genus Eudyptes. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Western Rockhopper Penguin?
- The Western Rockhopper Penguin is a huge sized bird weighing about 2.3 kg.
- Where can you see a Western Rockhopper Penguin?
- The Western Rockhopper Penguin occurs in 8 countries, including the Falkland Islands, Argentina, New Zealand, Chile and Australia.
- What birds look similar to a Western Rockhopper Penguin?
- The Western Rockhopper Penguin is most easily confused with the Macaroni Penguin, the Fiordland Penguin and the Royal Penguin.
Learn the Western Rockhopper Penguin for real
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