Kororā/Little blue penguins

As their name suggests, the Kororā/little blue penguin is the smallest species of penguin. They are also the most common penguin found around all coasts of New Zealand’s mainland and many of the surrounding islands.

Primarily nocturnal on land, they are sometimes found close to human settlements and often nest under and around coastal buildings, keeping the owners awake at night with their noisy vocal displays. They live up to their scientific name ‘Eudyptula’ meaning “good little diver”, as they are excellent pursuit hunters in shallow waters.

Appearance

Kororā are a medium blue to dark indigo-blue dorsally, sometimes with a greenish cast, and have white underparts. Dark slate-blue on the face extends to just below the eye. Birds from Banks Peninsula and North Canterbury are the palest dorsally, have wider white margins on the front and back edges of the dorsal surface of their flippers, and may have more white on their face and rump. Before the annual moult, dorsal surfaces may be pale brown. The robust, hooked bill is dark grey, the iris blue-grey or hazel, and the legs and feet are off-white with dark soles. Males are slightly larger than females, with more robust bills. Recently fledged young are bright blue dorsally, and markedly smaller than adults.

Diet

During the breeding season little penguins forage within 20 km of the colony, pursuit diving for prey generally in waters less than 50 m deep. Their diet is composed of varying proportions of small shoaling fish, squid and crustacean species. Important prey items include arrow squid (Nototodarus sloanii), slender sprat (Sprattus antipodum), Graham’s gudgeon (Grahamichthys radiata), red cod (Pseudophycis bachus), ahuru (Auchenoceros punctatus) and stomatopod larvae.

Nesting & Breeding

Kororā can breed as isolated pairs, in colonies, or semi-colonially. Nests are situated close to the sea in burrows excavated by the birds or other species, or in caves, rock crevices, under logs or in or under a variety of man-made structures including nest boxes,  pipes, stacks of wood or timber, and buildings. They are monogamous within a breeding season, and share incubation and chick rearing duties. They are the only species of penguin capable of producing more than one clutch of eggs per breeding season, but few populations do so. The 1-2 white or lightly mottled brown eggs are laid from July to mid-November, and with rarer second (or even third) clutches beginning as late as December. Incubation takes up to 36 days. Chicks are brooded for 18-38 days, and fledge after 7-8 weeks. Pairs are often highly faithful to nest sites.