Photo: M. Murphy / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Royal Penguin
Eudyptes schlegeli
Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) — Penguins of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 5 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) is a member of the Spheniscidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 4.2 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 Eudyptes
- Species schlegeli
Where it lives
Subantarctic islands of western South Pacific: Macquarie and nearby Bishop and Clerk is. (far southeast of Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 4.2 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Spheniscidae
- Order
- Sphenisciformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Royal 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 Royal Penguin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) belongs to the Spheniscidae family of the order Sphenisciformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU subantarctic islands of w South Pacific: Macquarie and nearby Bishop and Clerk is. (far se of Australia).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 4.2 kg, with a wing length of about 12.1 cm and a tail of around 9.5 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 128 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Royal Penguin?
The Royal Penguin is a very large bird that weighs around 4.2 kg.
Where does the Royal Penguin live?
The Royal Penguin is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU subantarctic islands of w South Pacific: Macquarie and nearby Bishop and Clerk is. (far se of Australia), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Royal Penguin belong to?
The Royal Penguin (Eudyptes schlegeli) belongs to the Spheniscidae family, in the order Sphenisciformes.
What does the Royal Penguin eat?
The Royal Penguin hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Royal Penguin migrate?
The Royal Penguin is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Royal 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 Royal Penguin make?
1 real field recording of the Royal Penguin — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Royal Penguin's range?
The Royal Penguin has a mapped global range of about 128 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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