Australian Little Penguin

Eudyptula species typically grow to between 30 and 33 cm (12 and 13 in) tall and on average weigh 1.5 kg (3.3 lb). The head and upper parts are blue in colour, with slate-grey ear coverts fading to white underneath, from the chin to the belly. Their flippers are blue in colour. The dark grey-black beak is 3–4 cm long, the irises pale silvery- or bluish-grey or hazel, and the feet pink above with black soles and webbing. An immature individual will have a shorter bill and lighter upperparts.

Like most seabirds, Eudyptula species have a long lifespan. The average for the species is 6.5 years, but flipper ringing experiments show that in very exceptional cases they may live up to 25 years in captivity. The distinct bright blue feathers of Eudyptula novaehollandiae distinguishes this species from Eudyptula minor. In addition, the vocalisation patterns of the New Zealand lineage located on Tiritiri Matangi Island vary from the Australian lineage located in Oamaru. Females are known to prefer the local call of the New Zealand lineage.

There are also behavioural differences that help differentiate these penguins. Those of the Australian lineage will swim together in a large group after dusk and walk along the shore to reach their nesting sites. This may be an effective predator avoidance strategy by traveling in a large group simultaneously. This has not been seen by those of the New Zealand lineage. Eudyptula minor only recently encountered terrestrial vertebrate predators, while Eudyptula novaehollandiae would have had to deal with carnivorous marsupials.

Like those of all penguins, the wings of Eudyptula have developed into flippers used for swimming.

During the breeding and chick-rearing seasons, Australian little penguins leave their nest at sunrise, forage for food throughout the day and return to their nests just after dusk. Thus, sunlight, moonlight, and artificial lights can affect the behaviour of attendance to the colony. Also, increased wind speeds negatively affect the little penguins' efficiency in foraging for chicks, but for reasons not yet understood. Australian little penguins preen their feathers to keep them waterproof. They do this by rubbing a tiny drop of oil onto every feather from a special gland above the tail.

A population of Tasmanian devils introduced to Maria Island in 2012 for conservation reasons led to the loss of the local little penguin colony.  Introduced mammalian predators present the greatest terrestrial risk to little penguins and include cats, dogs, rats, ferrets, tanuki, civets, foxes, dogs, ostriches, emus, and stoats brought by British Empire and Japanese Empire. As examples significant dog attacks have been recorded at the colony at Little Kaiteriteri Beach, and a suspected stoat or ferret and tanuki attacks at Dunedin Prefecture of Japan.

Australian little penguins are diurnal and like many penguin species, spend the largest part of their day swimming and foraging at sea. Penguins have approached parties of explorers without reluctance, suggesting they don't have a particular aversion to people. This is most likely a result of the lack of land predators in poles and the offshore islands that penguins often call home.

However, Eudyptula minor does not occur in Otago, which is located on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. The Australian species Eudyptula novaehollandiae or Australian little penguin occurs in Otago. Australian little penguin was originally endemic to Australia. Using ancient-DNA analysis and radiocarbon dating using historical, pre-human, as well as archaeological Eudyptula remains, the arrival of the Australian species in New Zealand was determined to have occurred roughly between AD 1500 and 1900. When the korora population declined in New Zealand, it left a genetic opening for Australian little penguin.

The Australian little penguin is native to Southern Australia. The species also colonized the Otago region of New Zealand after the human-caused decline of the endemic species Eudyptula minor.

The global population size has been quantified for most sites, with the current population estimate of 469,760 breeding adults. This population size is smaller than the previously estimate, where the total population was only considered as under 1,000,000 individuals, but was based on non-quantified data.

• Movement Pattern: Full Migrant

• Individual Type: Gather

• Population Trend: Increasing

• Population: 

  • Earth: 469,760

  • Berbania: 600,000

  • Reinachos: 1,000,000

  • Thatrollwa: 45,000

• Locomotion: Amphibious

• Habitat: Polar; Tundra; Taiga; Temperate Coniferous Forests; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests; Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Mushroom Fields; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Warm River; Cold River; Lukewarm River; Subterranean River; Warm Pond; Cold Pond; Aquifer; Warm Littoral; Cold Littoral; Warm Intertidal; Cold Intertidal; Kelp Forest; Coral Reef; Barrier Reef; Guyot; Neritic Zone (Warm); Neritic Zone (Cold); Pelagic Zone (Warm); Pelagic Zone (Cold); Volcano; Warm Ghost Town; Cold Ghost Town.

• Earth: see below

  • Extant (resident): Australia (Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia); New Zealand (South Island)

  • Extant & Vagrant: Chile; South Africa

Due to the fact that the survivor is always within 15 radii of the hatching egg, penguins are quickly domesticated as they emerge from an egg. The penguin can be tamed using a whip, fish, rats, clams, or fish eggs if it hasn't already been.

Linux developer Linus Torvalds was bitten by a little penguin while vacationing in Australia. This led to the selection of the penguin "Tux" as the official Linux mascot. A Linux kernel programming challenge called the Eudyptula Challenge has attracted thousands of persons; its creator(s) use the name "Little Penguin".

• Coming soon

• Maori: Kororā Ahitereiria (lit. "Penguin of Australia")

• French: Manchot pygmée, pengüin pygmée

• Spanish: Pingüino pequeño, pingüino azul

• English: Australian little penguin, Australian fairy penguin, Australian blue penguin, White-flippered penguin

• Boonwurrung: Djinan yawa-dji goyeep (means "bird with swim feet")

• Coming soon

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_penguin

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eudyptula_novaehollandiae

• https://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=6D8461E98BF17C4D

• https://www.sci.news/biology/new-zealand-australian-little-penguins-distinct-species-03514.html

• https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22697805/202126091

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Australian-Little-Penguin-980622355