Erected Crested Penguin

Facts about Erect-crested penguins. "Scientific name for Erect Crested Penguin Eudyptes sclateri". It is believed to breed from two major places which are Bounty and Antipodes Islands. Erect-crested penguin comes from New Zealand and experts believe that there is no much information about the Erect-crested penguins.But a further observation shows that some were breeding in Campbell islands but lately they have disappeared. Overall population is believed to be between 125,000 and 140,000 but it is hard to get accurate number due to their movements.

Features about the Erect Crested Penguin

The female Erect-crested penguin is slightly smaller than the male penguin. Erect-crested penguin are considered to be a medium to small sized. Erect Crested Penguin weighs around 5.5 to 13.2 pounds (2.5 to 6 kg) and is about 19 7/16 to 27 1/2 inches (50 to 70 cm). This group of penguins are yellow-crested, white and black, and their under parts are white in color. The eyebrows have a broad yellow stripe which further extends up to the eye and this forms a short erect crest. This explains why it is referred as Erect Crest Penguin.

Diet of the Erect-crested penguins

Just like all other penguin family's, Erect-crested penguin feeds on it share of fish, krill and squid. But the main dish is krill. Erect-crested penguin don't drink water, since they take in seawater as they swallow their meal and like all penguins, they have a that special gland that removes salt from their bodies after swallowing saltwater.

Molting of the Erect-crested penguins

An interesting thing to note is that Erect-crested penguins don’t come to land especially after their post breeding moulting-(of an animal-shed old hair skin, or an old shell, to make way for a new growth that will occur, the adult birds were already molting into their winter shades of gray). Not much is known about their winter time and the adaptation around that time.

When around the sea, it’s very hard to separate the Erect-crested penguin from others. This is because the feathers drop off when they are wet. But at a closer look, one might be able to identify Erect-crested penguins because it has a lower supercillium and as it is small compared to others.

Reproduction of the Erect-crested penguins

Erect Crested Penguin breeds in colonies especially in the rocks and this comes after a long courting period. The Erect Crest Penguin is migrational, and they take part in mating in Bounty Islands and Antipodes Islands. This mating rituals involve the males making certain sounds and displaying themselves. Than females will decide who they mate with. It isn’t known if they will mate with the same partner every mating season, but it is widely suspected to do so. In most cases the Erect-crested penguin don’t build nests but some do. They just lay two eggs a year, but the first egg is generally smaller which eventually is lost. The second one is big and this is the one that hatches. The Erect-crested penguin pair will take turns incubating the egg for over the next 35 days. Once the baby chick are born, the female Erect-crested penguin finds food until around mid way through February. The male Erected Crested Penguin fasts during this time and stays with the baby to protect it. After that time he will go and hunt for food to regain his strength. The young hunt for food in the water once their juvenile plumage is gone.