Southern Rockhopper Penguin

Species Description

Adult Plumage:

Males and females are similar. They have a thinner, yellow supercillium (than the Northern Rockhopper) with shorter plumes and red eyes.

Juvenile Plumage:

They have a faint yellow stripe above their eyes and the red brown bill of adults. They have a pale, mottled gray chin.

Chick Plumage:

The chicks lack the yellow crest and the red-brown bill of adults. Their bills are black. They have grey-black backs and white fronts.

Weight - Males:

3 kg

Height - Males:

52.00 cm

Beak - Males:

4.83 cm

Flipper - Male:

17.40 cm

Foot - males:

11.70cm

Weight - Females:

2.50 kg

Height - Females:

52.00 cm

Beak - Females:

4.16 cm

Flipper - Female:

16.90 cm

Foot - females:

10.85cm

Sexual Dimorphism:

There is a very small degree of sexual dimorphism between the sexes. The females are slightly smaller with an average female to male bill depth ratio of .85.

Vocalizations:

Calls are noisy, aggressive and demonstrative; raucous, braying sounds; more strident, pulsed squeaks, separated by shorter periods of silence; shrill and unmusical. Four types of calls exist - contact, sexual, agonistic and chick.

Taxonomy

Subspecies:

Distribution

Map references:

General Map

Prince Edward Island and Marion Island (150,000 breeding pairs combined)

IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 January 2009.

Crawford, R.J.M., A.B. Makhado, L. Upfold, and B.M. Dyer. 2008. Mass on arrival of Rockhopper penguins at Marion Island correlated with breeding success. African Journal of Marine Science 30(1):185-188.

Crawford, R.J.M., J. Cooper, B.M. Dyer, M.D. Greyling, N.T.W. Klages, P.G. Ryan, S.L. Peterson, L.G. Underhill, L. Upfold, W. Wilkinson, M.S. De Villiers, S. Du Pleissis, M. Du Toit, T.M. Leshoro, A.B. Makhado, M.S. Mason, D. Merkle, D. Tshingana, V.L. Ward, and P.A. Whittington. 2003. Populations of surface-nesting seabirds at Marion Island, 1994/95-2002/03. African Journal of Marine Science 25:427-440.

Woehler, E.J. 1993. The Distribution and Abundance of Antarctic and Subantarctic Penguins. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research; Cambridge. 76 pp.

Crozet Archipelago (152,000 breeding pairs)

Woehler, E.J. 1993. The Distribution and Abundance of Antarctic and Subantarctic Penguins. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research; Cambridge. 76 pp.

Kerguelen Archipelago (85,000 breeding pairs)

Weimerskirch, H., R. Zotier and P. Jouventin. 1989. The avifauna of the Kerguelen Islands. Emu 89:15-29.

Heard Island (??? breeding pairs)

McDonald Island (??? breeding pairs)

Macquire Island (32,000-43,000 breeding pairs)

IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 January 2009.

Rounsevell, D.E. and N.P. Brothers. 1984. The status and conservation of seabirds at Macquarie Island. In: Status and Conservation of the World’s Seabirds (eds. J.P. Croxall, P.G.H. Evans and R.W. Schreiber) pp. 587-592. Paston Press, England.

Woehler, E.J. 1993. The Distribution and Abundance of Antarctic and Subantarctic Penguins. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research; Cambridge. 76 pp.

Campbell Island (51,500 breeding pairs)

IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 January 2009.

Cunningham, D.M. and P.J. Moors. 1994. The decline of rockhopper penguins Eudyptes chrysocome at Campbell Island, Southern Ocean and the influence of rising sea temperatures. Emu 94: 27-36.

Moors, P.J. 1986. Decline in numbers of Rockhopper penguins at Campbell Island. Polar Record 23:69-73.

Auckland Islands (2,700-3,600 breeding pairs)

Cooper, R.H., 1992. Rockhopper penguins at the Auckland Islands. Notornis 39:66-67.

Antipodes Islands (??? breeding pairs)

Murdoch, R. and P. Sagar. 2005. Rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome filholi) foraging at Antipodes Islands. Notornis 52(2):75-80.

Ellis, S. J.P., Croxall and J. Cooper. 1998. Penguin conservation assessment and management plan. IUCN/SSC conservation breeding specialist group, IUCN, Apple Valley.

Bounty Islands (??? breeding pairs)

Murdoch, R. and P. Sagar. 2005. Rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome filholi) foraging at Antipodes Islands. Notornis 52(2):75-80.

Specific Map

1. Isla Noir (Noir Island) (158,200 breeding pairs)

Oehler, D., S. Pelikan, R. Fry, L. Weakley Jr., A. Kusch, and M. Marin. 2008. Status of crested penguin (Eudyptes spp) populations on three islands in southern Chile. The Wilson Journal of Orinthology 120(3):575-581.

Kirkwood, R., K. Lawton, C. Moreno, J. Valencia, R. Schlatter, and G. Robertson. 2007. Estimates of southern Rockhopper and Macaroni penguin numbers at the Ildefonso and Diego Ramirez Archipelagos, Chile, using quadrant and distance sampling techniques. Waterbirds 30(2):259-267.

Woehler, E.J. and J.P. Croxall. 1997. The status and trends of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds. Marine Ornithology 25:43-66.

IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 January 2009.

2. Isla Ildefanso (Ildefanso Island) (86,400 breeding pairs)

IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 January 2009.

3. Diego Ramirez (132,721 breeding pairs)

IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 January 2009.

4. Isla de los Estados (Staten Island) (167,000 breeding pairs)

Schiavini, A. and A.R. Rey. 2004. Long days, long trips: foraging ecology of female Rockhopper penguins Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome at Tierra del Fuego. Marine Ecology Progress Series 275:251-262.

Schiavini, A. 2000. Staten Island, Tierra del Fuego: the largest breeding ground for southern Rockhopper Penguins? Waterbirds 23(2):286–291.

IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 January 2009.

5. Falkland Islands (Malvinas) (210,418 breeding pairs)

Huin, H. 2007. Falkland Islands Penguin Census 2005/2006. Downloaded from: http://www.falklandsconservation.com/wildlife/birds/PenguinCensusReport05-06.pdf on 12 April 2009.

Putz, K., A. Clausen, N. Huin and J. Croxall. 2003a. Re-evaluation of historical Rockhopper penguin population data in the Falkland Islands. Waterbirds 26(2): 169-175.

Clausen, A. and N. Huin. 2003. Status and numerical trends of King, Gentoo, and Rockhopper penguins breeding in the Falkland Islands. Waterbirds 26(4):389-402.

Poisbleau, M., L. Demongin, I. Strange, H. Otley, and P. Quillfeldt. 2008. Aspects of the breeding biology of the southern Rockhopper penguin Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome and new consideration on the intrinsic capacity of the A-egg. Polar Biology 31:925-932.

Putz, K., R. Ingham, J. Smith, and J. Croxall. 2001. Population trends, breeding success and diet composition of Gentoo Pygoscelis papua, Magellanic Spheniscus magellanicus and Rockhopper Eudyptes chrysocome penguins in the Falkland Islands. Polar Biology 24:793–807.

IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 January 2009.

Bingham, M., 2002. The decline of Falkland Islands penguins in the presence of a commercial fishing industry. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 75:805–818.

Beauchene Island (71,343 breeding pairs)

Huin, H., 2007. Falkland Islands Penguin Census 2005/2006. Downloaded from: http://www.falklandsconservation.com/wildlife/birds/PenguinCensusReport05-06.pdf on 12 April 2009.

Steeple Jason Island (59,033 breeding pairs)

Huin, H., 2007. Falkland Islands Penguin Census 2005/2006. Downloaded from: http://www.falklandsconservation.com/wildlife/birds/PenguinCensusReport05-06.pdf on 12 April 2009.

Grand Jason Island (49,383 breeding pairs)

Huin, H., 2007. Falkland Islands Penguin Census 2005/2006. Downloaded from: http://www.falklandsconservation.com/wildlife/birds/PenguinCensusReport05-06.pdf on 12 April 2009.

New Island (5,000 breeding pairs)

Breeding Biology

Average Arrival date:

10/30

Nest and nest materials:

Nests are located on rocky slopes and amongst tussocks; sometimes in small caves and amongst crevices. A small nest is built from tussock, peat and pebbles.

Egg laying average date:

12/15

Incubation:

33 days

Chick period:

70 days

Fledgling period:

3/1 to 3/31

Reproductive Success:

1.00chicks/nest

Reproductive success variation:

They lay 2 eggs but usually only one chick survives.

Breeding Cycle

Age at first breeding:

4 years

Maximum lifespan:

30 years

Average lifespan:

10 years

Molt:

The molt is variable depending on the location of the colony and whether there was a failed breeding or the animal was a non-breeder. The length of the molt is approximately 23 to 30 days. The adult molt is post-nuptial on the breeding sites and follows a pre-molt period at sea of 20-30 days.

Egg weight:

76.50 grams

Egg length:

6.21 cm

Egg breadth:

5.03 cm

Incubation period:

Second egg weight:

108.00grams

Second egg length:

7.15cm

Second egg breadth:

5.33cm

Prey

Prey:

They prefer crustaceans (euphausids), small fish and cephalopods (squid).

Description:

There is a variability of prey resources at sea for this species and subsequent opportunism of this penguin species to exploit what is differentially available.

Status

IUCN listing:

Vulnerable

Discussion:

This is an appropriate designation for this species at this time. Current protection consists of marine protected areas/reserves, monitoring of populations, and ecological and demographic studies.

Threats

Predators on land of eggs, chicks:

They are preyed upon by great skuas, brown skuas, striated caracaras, kelp gulls, dolphin gulls and turkey vultures.

Predators at sea of adults:

They are preyed upon by fur seals, Southern sea lions, leopard seals, blue sharks and giant petrels.

Predators at sea of juveniles:

They are preyed upon by fur seals, Southern sea lions, leopard seals, blue sharks and giant petrels.

Predators at sea on fledglings:

They are preyed upon by fur seals, Southern sea lions, leopard seals, blue sharks and giant petrels.

Human threats:

Increasing disturbance and pollution from ecotourism and fishing. Food supplies may be affected by fisheries, climate change and shifts in marine food webs. Oil exploration and exploitation. Massive mortality event on the Falklands in 2002/03 was due to a Harmful Algal Blooms. Hydrocarbon exploitation. Rock-lobster fisheries have previously used birds for bait.Commercial fishing - food availability decreased. Introduced predators may affect breeding success.

Climate variation:

Global climate changes are causing a decrease in primary productivity and an increase in sea surface temperatures (SST).

Analysis:

There has been a population decrease in this species throughout its range. Precise reasons for the declines are poorly known.

Mitigation of threat

Possible actions:

Continue to monitor or start to monitor populations to assess trends.Conduct studies to assist in interpreting population changes.Conduct studies to assess the impacts of interactions with commercial fisheries.Investigate the impact of introduced species at breeding colonies and eradicate introduced species where necessary.Investigate impact of egg harvesting.Investigate the impact of oil exploration and exploitation.Study the impacts of climate change.Reduce disturbance from ecotourism.Create more marine protected areas. Reduce/exclude large scale commercial fishing from within prescribed distances from penguin breeding locations.

References and Comments

Species references:

Banks, J., A.V. Buren, Y. Cherel, and J. Whitfield. 2006. Genetic evidence for three species of rockhopper penguins, Eudyptes chrysocome. Polar Biology 30:61-67.

Bingham, M. 2002. The decline of Falkland Islands penguins in the presence of a commercial fishing industry. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 75:805–818.

BirdLife International 2009a. Species factsheet: Eudyptes moseleyi. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 4 February 2009.

BirdLife International 2009b. Species factsheet: Eudyptes chrysocome. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 4 February 2009.

Boersma, P.D. and J. Parrish. 1999. Limiting abuse: marine protected areas, a limited solution. Ecol. Econ. 31:287-304.

Boersma, P.D., D.L. Stokes and I.J. Strange. 2002. Applying ecology to conservation: tracking breeding penguins at New Island South Reserve, Falkland Islands. Aquatic Conservation Marine Freshwater Ecosystems 12:63-74.

Clausen, A. and N. Huin. 2003. Status and numerical trends of King, Gentoo, and Rockhopper penguins breeding in the Falkland Islands. Waterbirds 26(4):389-402.

Cooper, R.H. 1992. Rockhopper penguins at the Auckland Islands. Notornis 39:66-67.

Crawford, R.J.M., J. Cooper, B.M. Dyer, M.D. Greyling, N.T.W. Klages, D.C Nel, S.L. Peterson and A.C. Wolfaardt. 2003. Decrease in numbers of the eastern Rockhopper penguin Eudyptes chrysocome filholi at Marion Island, 1994/95-2002/03. African Journal of Marine Science 25:487-498.

Cunningham, D.M. and P.J. Moors. 1994. The decline of Rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) at Campbell Island, Southern Ocean and the influence of rising sea temperatures. Emu 94: 27-36.

Cuthbert, R.J., and E.S. Sommer. 2004. Population size and trends of four globally threatened seabirds at Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean. Marine Orinthology 32:97-103.

Davis, L.S. and M. Renner. 2003. Penguins. Yale University Press, United States.

Ellis, S.J.P., Croxall and J. Cooper. 1998. Penguin conservation assessment and management plan. IUCN/SSC conservation breeding specialist group, IUCN, Apple Valley.

Guinard, E., H. Weimerskirch, and P. Jouventin. 1998. Population changes and demography of the Northern Rockhopper penguin on Amsterdam and St Paul Islands. Colonial Waterbirds 21(2):222-228.

Hilton, G.M., D.R. Thompson, P.M. Sagar, R.J. Cuthbert, Y. Cherels, and S.J. Bury. 2006. A stable isotopic investigation into the cause of decline in a sub-Antarctic predator, the Rockhopper penguin Eudyptes chrysocome. Global Change Biology 12:611-625.

Hindell, M.A. 1988. The diet of the rockhopper penguin Eudyptes chrysocome at Macquarie Island. Emu 88:227-233.

Hull, C.L., M. Hindell, K. Le Mar, P. Scofield, J. Wilson, and M.A. Lea. 2004. The breeding biology and factors affecting reproductive success in Rockhopper penguins Eudyptes chrysocome at Macquarie Island. Polar Biology 27(11):711-720.

Huin, H. 2007. Falkland Islands Penguin Census 2005/2006. Downloaded from: http://www.falklandsconservation.com on 12 February 2009.

IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 21 January 2009.

Jones, A.G., S.L. Chown, P.G. Ryan, N.J.M. Gremmen and K.J. Gaston. 2003. A review of conservation threats on Gough Island: a case study for terrestrial conservation in the Southern Oceans. Biological Conservation 113:75-87.

Jouventin, P., R.J. Cuthbert, and R. Ottvall. 2006. Genetic isolation and divergence in sexual traits: evidence for the northern Rockhopper penguin Eudyptes moseleyi being a sibling species. Molecular Ecology 15:3413-3423.

Liljesthrom, M., S.D. Emslie, D. Frierson and A, Schiavini. 2008. Avian predation at a Southern Rockhopper Penguin colony on Staten Island, Argentina. Polar Biology 31:465-474.

Lynch, W. 1997. Penguins of the World. Firefly books, New York.

Marine Bio 2009. Rockhopper penguin. Downloaded from: http://marinebio.org on 29 January 2009.

Moors, P.J. 1986. Decline in numbers of Rockhopper penguins at Campbell Island. Polar Record 23:69-73.

Muller-Schwarze, D. 1984. The Crested Penguins, pages 135-138 in The Behavior of Penguins. SUNY Press, Albany.

Murdoch, R. and P. Sagar. 2005. Rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome filholi) foraging at Antipodes Islands. Notornis 52(2):75-80.

Oehler, D., W.R. Fry, L. Weakley Jr. and M. Marin. 2007. Rockhopper and Macaroni penguin colonies absent from Isla Recalada, Chile. The Wilson Journal of Orinthology 119(3):502-506.

Oehler, D., S. Pelikan, R. Fry, L. Weakley Jr., A. Kusch, and M. Marin. 2008. Status of crested penguin (Eudyptes spp) populations on three islands in southern Chile. The Wilson Journal of Orinthology 120(3):575-581.

Penguin World 2009. Rockhopper Penguin. Downloaded from: http://www.penguinworld.com on 18 February 2009.

Phelan, D. 1999. "Eudyptes chrysocome" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed 9 February 2009 at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Eudyptes_chrysocome.html.

Putz, K., A. Clausen, N. Huin and J. Croxall. 2003. Re-evaluation of historical Rockhopper penguin population data in the Falkland Islands. Waterbirds 26(2): 169-175.

Putz, K., R.J. Ingham, J.G. Smith, and B.H. Luthi. 2002. Winter dispersal of rockhopper penguins Eudyptes chrysocome from the Falkland Islands and its implications for conservation. Marine Ecology Progress Series 240:273-284.

Putz, K., A. Rey, A. Schiavini, A. Clausen, and B. Luthi. 2006. Winter migration of Rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) breeding in the Southwest Atlantic: is utilization of different foraging areas reflected in opposing population trends? Polar Biology 29(9):735–744.

Rey, A.R., and A. Schiavini. 2005. Inter-annual variation in the diet of female southern Rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome chrysocome) at Tierra del Fuego. Polar Biology 28:132-141.

Richards, P. 2002. Overview of petroleum geology, oil exploration and associated environmental protection around the Falkland Islands. Aquatic Conservation Marine Freshwater Ecosystems 12:7-14.

Richardson, M.E. 1984. Aspects of ornithology of the Tristan da Cunha group and Gough Island, 1972-1974. Cormorant 12:123-201.

Ryan, P.G. and J. Cooper. 1991. Rockhopper penguins and other marine life threatened by driftnet fisheries at Tristan da Cunha. Oryx 25:76-79.

Ryan, P.G. and C.L. Moloney. 2000. The status of Spectacled Petrels (Procellaria conspicillata) and other sea birds at Inaccessible Island. Marine Ornithology 28:93-100.

Schiavini, A. 2000. Staten Island, Tierra del Fuego: the largest breeding ground for southern Rockhopper Penguins? Waterbirds 23(2):286–291.

Swales, M.K. 1965. The seabirds of Gough Island. Ibis 107:17-42, 215-229.

Taylor, G.A. 2000. Action Plan for Seabird Conservation in New Zealand. Part A, Threatened Seabirds. Threatened Species Occasional Publication No. 16. New Zealand Department of Conservation, Wellington. Published online at: <www.doc.govt.nz/upload/documents/science-and-technical/TSOP16.pdf>. [Retrieved May 5, 2008.] 230 pp.

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Uhart, M., W. Karesh, R. Cook, N. Huin, K. Lawrence, L. Guzman, H. Pacheco, G. Pizarro, R. Mattsson and T. Morner. 2004. Paralytic shellfish poisoning in Gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) from the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands. In 2004 proceedings of the AAZV, AAWV, WDA joint conference. pp 481-486.

Verrill, G.E. 1895. On some birds and eggs collected by Mr. George Comer at Gough Island, Kerguelen Island, and the Island of South Georgia, with extracts from his notes, including a meteorological record for about six months at Gough Island. Transactions of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences 9:430-478.

Watkins, B.P. 1987. Population sizes of King, Rockhopper and Macaroni penguins and Wandering albatrosses at the Prince Edward Islands and Gough Island, 1951-1986. South African Journal of Antarctic Research 17:155-162.

Weimerskirch, H., R. Zotier and P. Jouventin. 1989. The avifauna of the Kerguelen Islands. Emu 89:15-29.

Williams, A. 1981. The clutch size of Macaroni penguins Eudyptes chrysolophus and Rockhopper penguins Eudyptes chrysocome. Emu 81(2): 87.

Williams, T.D. 1995. The Penguins. Oxford University Press.

Williams, A.J. and C. Stone. 1981. Rockhopper penguins Eudyptes chrysocome at Tristan da Cunha. Cormorant 9(2):59-66.

Williams, A.J. and M.J. Imber. 1980. Rockhopper Penguins Eudyptes chrysocome at Gough Island. Bulletin of the British Orinthologists Club 100:208-212.

Woehler, E.J. 1993. The Distribution and Abundance of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Penguins. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research; Cambridge. 76 pp.

Woehler, E.J. and J.P. Croxall. 1997. The status and trends of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seabirds. Marine Ornithology 25:43-66.

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Southern Rockhopper Penguin

Penguin Species