NCI 2024
    Groups
    Mammals Birds Amphibians Reptiles Myxini – Hagfishes Petromyz' – Lampreys Sharks & rays Animals Holocep' – Chimaeras Ray-finned fishes Dipneusti – Lungfish Gastropoda – Snails & slugs Coelac' – Coelacanths Insecta – Insects / bugs Arachnida – Spiders & scorpions Malacostraca – Malacostracans Diplopoda – Millipedes Bivalvia – Marine molluscs Cephalopoda – Squids & octopuses Chilopoda – Centipedes Pycnogonida – Sea spiders Merostomata – Horseshoe crabs More Classes
    Filters

    Regions

    See AllSelect

    Habitat

    See AllSelect

    Eudyptes – Crested penguins

    The genus of penguins with yellow tufts of feather

    Crested penguins are easily recognizable due to their distinctive yellow crests and bold black and white plumage. These penguins are visually striking and have a fascinating evolutionary history. Genetic studies suggest that crested penguins diverged from the lineage that led to the yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) around 15 million years ago. This split represents a significant evolutionary step as these species adapted to different Southern Ocean ecosystem niches.

    Several distinctive features mark the appearance of crested penguins. The yellow crest that runs above each eye to the back of the head is a hallmark of the genus. Their bodies are primarily black and white, with a stark contrast that serves as camouflage in the water—white for predators looking upwards and black for those looking down. The pinkish hue of their legs, the red of their bills, and their red eyes add to their distinctiveness, making them some of the more colorful penguin species.

    The vocalizations of crested penguins are complex and serve a variety of purposes, from establishing territory to attracting a mate and identifying individual birds within crowded colonies. These calls are an essential part of their social structure and breeding behavior.

    Crested penguins have a wide distribution, inhabiting a range that extends from the Antarctic Peninsula to various subantarctic and southern subtropical islands. They are adapted to a variety of environments, from rocky shores to dense forests, depending on the species.

    An interesting aspect of their reproductive biology is that crested penguins lay two eggs, but the first, smaller egg is usually neglected or discarded. This phenomenon, known as obligate brood reduction, means that typically, only the second, larger egg is incubated and the chick raised. This strategy may seem wasteful, but it ensures that under good conditions, if the first chick does survive, the parents have the resources to raise it, but under poor conditions, they do not waste resources on an egg that has a lower chance of survival.