Fun Erect Crested Penguin Facts For Kids

An Erect Crested Penguin is a fascinating creature belonging to the penguin family. Their bodies are black, but the undercoat is of white color. These birds have soft red or brown eyes, unlike the other crested penguin species. These are egg laying birds, which are often found in the island groups surrounding Australia and New Zealand. The breeding grounds of these birds are mainly the island group around Antipodes. These birds prefer to live in colonies, especially during their breeding times. They are very social and are often found to be building a nest if they wish to impress the females.

The breeding pairs of these birds seemed highest in the 1970s. But their numbers are drastically reducing in the present times and calls for immediate conservation needs. The reason as to why they are under threat is still unknown. But it is assumed that failure of breeding, habitat destruction, reduced food availability, and pollution of the marine waters are the primary reasons.

You may also check out the fact files on chinstrap penguin and little penguin.

What type of animal is an Erect Crested Penguin?

An Erect Crested Penguin, or Eudyptes sclateri, is an egg laying bird. These penguins are usually of medium stature and can be primarily found in the island groups existing around New Zealand and Australia. Bounty islands are their favorite breeding spot. An erect crest is the most prominent feature of this bird.

What class of animal does an Erect Crested Penguin belong to?

Erect Crested Penguins belong to the class of Aves, under the Animalia kingdom.

How many Erect Crested Penguins are there in the world?

Ever since the 1940s, the population of this species has been on the decline. Till the 1970s, the population estimates of this species of egg laying birds was still somewhere around 230,000 in the Bounty and Antipodes Islands. Today, the number of Erect Crested Penguins stands at approximately 150,000.

Where does an Erect Crested Penguin live?

The favorite habitat of Erect Crested Penguins are cliffs or beaches. This population species prefer the rocky terrains of the coasts usually found around New Zealand or Australia. The Antipodes Islands, which has three island groups, and the Bounty Islands, which has eight island groups, are the favorite spot for breeding of this species. This bird is also found in Campbell island, but such an occurrence is quite rare.

What is an Erect Crested Penguin's habitat?

Erect Crested Penguins (Eudyptes sclateri) have a preference for the rocky terrains of the coastal margins. They only visit the land when it is time for them to lay eggs. But in the pre-molt times, they prefer to live in the sea. The most common spot for this species for laying an egg is the Bounty Islands and also the Antipodes Islands. This species of the population enjoy the lack of vegetation of the Bounty Islands. A tiny population of breeding pairs was also found on Campbell Island.

Who do Erect Crested Penguins live with?

Erect Crested Penguins prefer to live in colonies. They tend to nest and lay eggs on rocky terrains. You can find the breeding pairs of these egg laying species in either medium-sized or large colonies.

How long does an Erect Crested Penguin live?

The average life span of an Erect Crested Penguin (Eudyptes sclateri) ranges from 15-20 years.

How do they reproduce?

An Erect Crested Penguin is monogamous in nature. They have a lined scrape nest type, and they tend to nest in the shallow muddy ones. The breeding season of this population species is between October and February. During mid-April, these penguins breed leave their colonies to molt in pairs. In the nesting sites, there is usually tough competition to choose the best one. Usually, these crested penguins breed lay only two eggs. The second egg is the one that has the maximum chances of survival as the first egg gets kicked out most often.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of Erect Crested Penguins or Eudyptes sclateri is Endangered according to the IUCN List.

What do Erect Crested Penguins look like?

An Erect Crested Penguin is distinguishable from the other types of penguins breed due to its unique black back and the black coloration of its throat and face. The underpart of this species is white. The eyebrow stripes of these penguins are yellow. These stripes begin from their nostrils and continue over their eyes, which are red or brown colored.

How cute are they?

Like every other species of penguin, the Erect Crested Penguins are very cute to look at.

How do they communicate?

Much like the other penguins, this species communicates with each other through booming brays. But one difference in their vocalization is that the pitch of their voice is much lower than the other penguin breeds.

How big is an Erect Crested Penguin?

The average length of this penguin is 65-26 inches. This makes them at least six times bigger than the Chestnut sparrow. An Erect Crested Penguin has an average height of 50-70 cm or 20-28 in. Males are slightly taller than females. This makes them at least three times taller than a house sparrow.

How fast can an Erect Crested Penguin fly?

These are flightless birds with a swimming speed of up to 11 kph (7 mph).

How much does an Erect Crested Penguin weigh?

The average weight of crested penguins ranges from 3-6 kg (6-13 lb). This makes them at least nine times heavier than a parrot.

What are their male and female names of the species?

There is no separate name assigned for the male and female penguins of this species. Both are known by the common name of Erect Crested Penguin.

What would you call a baby Erect Crested Penguin?

The baby of an Erect Crested Penguin is called a chick.

What do they eat?

An Erected Crested Penguin is a carnivorous animal. It feeds mainly on food like fish, smaller squids, and other crustaceans. Krill and cephalopods are also a part of their diet. The feeding behavior of this species is not very well known. But we can assume that they follow the pursuit and diving technique, which is typical to most crested penguins.

Are they dangerous?

No, they are not at all dangerous.

Would they make a good pet?

They will not make good pets because their habitat is unique and will be challenging to provide in a homely atmosphere. The population of this species is also Endangered, so you must not try to keep them as pets.

Did you know...

In the animal kingdom, there are three types of crested penguins. The Erect Crested Penguin is found in the various island groups of New Zealand. It stands unique among those due to its black body and white undercoat. They practice monogamy and are very affectionate towards the other members of the colonies. But they also show signs of aggression when they search for a nest to lay their eggs.

Why is the Erect Crested Penguin endangered?

These penguins are under severe threats due to their habitat destruction. From a breeding pairs population of almost 230,000 in the 1970s, their numbers have come down to 150,000 recently.

Unique features of the Erect Crested Penguin

Among the three similar types of crested penguins, the Erect Crested Penguin is unique with flat and broad bones. These bones help them in underwater swimming with maximum speed. They are flightless birds, much like the other crested penguins, so they have developed underwater swimming capabilities.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds including royal penguin, or Galapagos penguin.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Erect crested penguin coloring pages.