Little Blue Penguin

Now officially named the 'little penguin', this is the smallest of all penguins at just 40 cms. They are steely blue above and satin white below. The blueness of their backs makes the old and more popular name difficult to discard.

Blue penguins frequent the mainland coastal waters of both North and South Islands and many offshore islands around New Zealand. They spend all day out at sea fishing, often solitary, mostly about five metres below the surface. They feed on small fish, squid, and octopus when available. At night they come ashore and leave at dawn to go back fishing. When ashore they often wander as far as 500m inland and over 200m above sea level on some islands. On Tiritiri Matangi they have been seen at night up by the lighthouse.

The little blue penguin has a variety of calls, mewing notes (like a cat), loud screams, trumpeting and deep toned growls. They are most vocal at their breeding colonies and when they come ashore at dusk. 

Blue penguins go through a complete body moult at the breeding site once their chicks have fledged. This moulting period lasts for 10-18 days and occurs some time between December and March. At this time the penguin cannot go to sea and therefore doesn't eat, having spent 2-3 weeks beforehand fattening up.

Find out more about the blue penguin at New Zealand Birds Online.

Photography by: Anne Mein © (top right) and Peter Craw © (bottom left)
References: Heather, B.D.; Robertson, H.A. 2000 The Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand. Auckland, Viking.