Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Little Penguin
Eudyptula minor
Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) — Penguins of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) is a member of the Spheniscidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 1.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Sphenisciformes
- Family Spheniscidae Penguins
- Genus Eudyptula
- Species minor
Where it lives
Southern Australia and North, South, Stewart and Chatham is. (east of South I.; New Zealand)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.1 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Spheniscidae
- Order
- Sphenisciformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Little Penguin hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Little Penguin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) belongs to the Spheniscidae family of the order Sphenisciformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU s Australia and North, South, Stewart and Chatham is. (e of South I.; New Zealand).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.1 kg, with a wing length of about 6.7 cm and a tail of around 2.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 365,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Little Penguin?
The Little Penguin is a very large bird that weighs around 1.1 kg.
Where does the Little Penguin live?
The Little Penguin is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU s Australia and North, South, Stewart and Chatham is. (e of South I.; New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Little Penguin belong to?
The Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) belongs to the Spheniscidae family, in the order Sphenisciformes.
What does the Little Penguin eat?
The Little Penguin hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Little Penguin migrate?
The Little Penguin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Little Penguin endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Little Penguin make?
1 real field recording of the Little Penguin — including its duet — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Little Penguin's range?
The Little Penguin has a mapped global range of about 365,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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