Description

Penguins are flightless seabirds. The Little Penguin is the smallest of all penguins. Standing about 30 to 35 cm in height, it weighs approximately one kilogram when fully grown.

Its upper body and flippers are slate blue or blue-grey in colour, with the underside and throat being white. The Little Penguin’s bill is black, its feet are pale pink, and its eyes are silvery-grey. The males of the species are slightly bigger than the females, and have a deeper bill and larger head.

Information taken from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/theLittlePenguin.htm on 8 January 2015

Habitat and Distribution

The Australian Little Penguin is found in coastlines and offshore islands in scattered localities from Freemantle in the west, around the southern coastline to Newcastle in the east, including Tasmania. Stragglers are occasionally found as far north as Shark Bay in the west, and Moreton Bay in the east. Little Penguins also occur in New Zealand (Beruldsen, G; 2003). Little Penguins usually nest in burrows that have been scratched out in sand dunes, under rocks or boulders or in dense coastal vegetation. Little Penguins will also opportunistically use natural cavities, or burrows used by other seabirds.

Conservation Status

Generally, Little Penguins are listed as ‘of least concern’ but they face several threats that could shift this status, and individual populations have seen significant decline. Currently, the only known mainland breeding colony in NSW is in a secluded cove in the Manly area of Sydney Harbour. This colony has been declared an endangered population. Little penguins face a number of threats. On the mainland, dogs, cats and foxes pose the greatest threat by attacking the adults and chicks. The death of one adult in a breeding pair will often lead to the death of the young. Other threats include:

• the destruction or disturbance of nesting habitat by human activity
• pollution and run-off from nearby human development
• reckless behaviour from some jet skiiers and water skiiers
• the reduction of penguin food supplies, through overfishing or the introduction of exotic diseases or parasites.

Information taken from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/theLittlePenguin.htm on 8 January 2015

Diet

Little penguins feed on small fish, squid and krill. They mainly feed in shallow waters within 15 to 20 kilometres of the coast. They hunt near the surface for fish such as pilchards, anchovies and garfish. They can also quickly dive to the sea floor to feast on squid and krill.

Information taken from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/theLittlePenguin.htm on 8 January 2015

Breeding and Lifecycle

Australian Little Penguins live for an average of seven years in the wild, and are ready for their first breeding season at around three years of age. Most of the birds have the same mate for life, but about 25 per cent of them may change their mate from year to year.

Nesting can occur as early as June or as late as November (Beruldsen G, 2003). It is usually between June and August that male penguins return to their colonies to reconstruct old burrows, dig new ones and attract mates. The breeding season varies from year to year and from colony to colony, depending on the availability of food.

For the 35-day incubation period, both males and females take turns incubating the eggs. Until around 15 days after hatching, one parent will remain with the young chick while the other goes hunting for food. After this, the young are left alone while both adults go hunting.

Chicks leave the nest to go to sea once they reach the age of eight or nine weeks. Before they leave the nest Little Penguin chicks tend to be brownish in colour. They later take on a similar colouring to the adults, only slightly duller.

Once the young have fledged, the adult penguins prepare to moult  The penguins feed themselves up, to build a store of fat which will carry them through the period ashore while moulting and waiting for a new feather coat to grow.

Information taken from http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/animals/theLittlePenguin.htm on 8 January 2015

Additional Information

If you are near a little penguin colony, you can help protect these native seabirds:

• never allow your dog or cat to roam free in areas where the little penguin may have its breeding sites or burrows
• if you see Little Penguins when you are near the coast, keep your distance – you may be near breeding sites or habitat areas which can easily be disturbed
• if you see sick, injured or dead birds report them to local authorities and wildlife care agencies such as WIRES or local zoo hospitals

The Zoo and Aquarium Association acknowledges

Taronga Conservation Society Australia

for providing the factsheet information above.