Fiordland Penguin

Fiordland Penguins nest in scattered colonies, with nests spaced 1-3m apart, often in remote and inaccessible habitats. The breeding range is in Westland South, including Bruce Bay, Open Bay Islands, and many locations in Fiordland, the Solander Islands, Codfish Island, and Stewart Island. Breeding sites are varied, ranging from temperate rainforests to dense coastal scrub, sea caves, and rocky outcrops. They prefer cavities under fallen trees, roots, and crevices. They breed in small colonies on inaccessible headlands, off small islands along the Southwest coast of the South Island, and on Stewart Island. Incubation begins after the second egg is laid. The two eggs are laid roughly 3-6 days apart in July-August. The first egg is smaller than the second. They usually raise only one chick despite two being laid. However, in favorable years two chicks are successfully raised for about 12% of breeding pairs. Incubation commences at the second egg laid. Both sexes share incubation duties every 5-10 days, after which first the female then male leave the colony to search for food for 10-14 days. The males depart after the courtship display, followed by long incubation stints. By this point the males will have fasted for about 6 weeks. The eggs hatch in September after 31-36 days of incubation, first the larger egg. The chicks are cared for by the male and fed by the female for the first 3 weeks, then left unsupervised in small nursery groups. Both parents continue to feed the young until they fledge late November-early December.