Photo: Jerzy Strzelecki / CC BY 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Vulnerable

Penguins

Macaroni Penguin

Eudyptes chrysolophus

Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) — Penguins of Oceans & Seabirds.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 7 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Argentina Birds of Australia Birds of New Zealand Birds of South Africa Birds of New South Wales Birds of Tasmania Birds of Victoria

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The Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) is a member of the Spheniscidae family found in Oceans & Seabirds. Adults weigh 4.5 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

VU Vulnerable

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Sphenisciformes
Family Spheniscidae Penguins
Genus Eudyptes
Species chrysolophus

Where it lives

Subantarctic islands of western South Atlantic to eastern South Indian Ocean: Antarctic Pen. and Falkland Is. to Kerguelen and Heard is.

Oceans & Seabirds

Quick facts

Weight: 4.5 kg
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Spheniscidae
Order: Sphenisciformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Macaroni 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 Macaroni Penguin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) belongs to the Spheniscidae family of the order Sphenisciformes. Its range spans Oceans & Seabirds. Its distribution covers SO subantarctic islands of w South Atlantic to e South Indian Ocean: Antarctic Pen. and Falkland Is. to Kerguelen and Heard is.

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 4.5 kg, with a wing length of about 11.7 cm and a tail of around 10.3 cm.

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

The species has a mapped global range of roughly 49,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.

Songs & calls

Macaroni Penguin — Begging call, call, song

Recorded by Kevin Guille Licence: Public Domain

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Macaroni Penguin?

The Macaroni Penguin is a very large bird that weighs around 4.5 kg.

Where does the Macaroni Penguin live?

The Macaroni Penguin is found across Oceans & Seabirds with a range covering SO subantarctic islands of w South Atlantic to e South Indian Ocean: Antarctic Pen. and Falkland Is. to Kerguelen and Heard is, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Macaroni Penguin belong to?

The Macaroni Penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus) belongs to the Spheniscidae family, in the order Sphenisciformes.

What does the Macaroni Penguin eat?

The Macaroni Penguin hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Macaroni Penguin migrate?

The Macaroni Penguin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Macaroni Penguin endangered?

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

What sound does the Macaroni Penguin make?

1 real field recording of the Macaroni Penguin — including its begging call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Macaroni Penguin's range?

The Macaroni Penguin has a mapped global range of about 49,000 km².