Justification This species qualifies as Vulnerable because, overall, the population appears to have declinedrapidly over the last three generations (36 years). However, this classification relies heavily on extrapolation from small-scale data, and large-scale surveys are needed to confirm the categorisation.

Family/Sub-family Spheniscidae

Species name author (Brandt, 1837)

Taxonomic source(s) Christidis and Boles (1994), Dowsett and Forbes-Watson (1993), SACC (2005 + updates), Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993), Stotz et al. (1996), Turbott (1990)

Identification 71 cm. Large, yellow-crested, black-and-white penguin. Black upperparts. White underparts. Dark grey to black head and cheeks. Long yellow, orange and black plumes project from forehead patch back along crown and droop behind eye. Similar spp. E. chrysolophus and Royal Penguin E. schlegeli are the only crested penguins with crests that meet on the forehead. E. schlegeli has pure white to pale grey cheeks, but light-faced E. chrysolophus are also reported at some sites (although it is not known whether these are local mutations or hybrids).

Population estimate

Population trend

Range estimate (breeding/resident)

Country endemic?

18,000,000

decreasing

18,500,000 km²

No

Range & population Eudyptes chrysolophus breeds in at least 216 colonies at 50 sites^7,8, including southern Chile, the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), South Georgia (Georgia del Sur) and the South Sandwich Islands (Islas Sandwich del Sur), the South Orkney and South Shetland Islands, Bouvet Island (to Norway), Prince Edward and Marion Islands (South Africa), Crozet Islands, Kerguelen Islands (French Southern Territories), Heard and McDonald Islands (to Australia) and very locally on the Antarctic Peninsula. The total population is c.9 million pairs, with main populations at Ile des Pingouins (Crozet), Heard and McDonald (c.1 million pairs each) Kerguelen (c.1.8 million pairs) and South Georgia (c.2.5 million pairs)³. The South Georgia and Bouvet populations probably increased substantially in the 1960s and early 1970s, but have subsequently decreased. Study populations at South Georgia decreased by 65% in 12 years (1986-1998)² and the overall South Georgia population has probably halved over the last 20 years⁵. Study populations on Marion have decreased by 50% over 30 years (1979-1998)¹. Populations on Kerguelen increased by c.1% per annum between 1962 and 1985, and subsequent data in 1998 indicate that colonies are stable or increasing⁶. Populations in South America may be stable but data are few.

Important Bird Areas Click here to view map showing IBAs where species is recorded and triggers any of the IBA criteria.

Ecology: It nests on level to steep ground, often walking hundreds of metres across steep screes to nest-sites. Breeding areas usually have little or no vegetation due to erosion by birds. It feeds mainly on small krill⁴.

Threats The only known threats at its main breeding grounds are those common to all Southern Ocean species, such as the existing and potential impact of commercial fishing, ocean warming and oil pollution³.

Conservation measures underway Long-term monitoring programmes are in place at several breeding colonies³. Most breeding islands are protected as reserves of various kinds and Heard and McDonald Islands are a World Heritage Site.

Conservation measures proposed Survey or resurvey all main breeding populations at major breeding sites, and maintain monitoring programmes at selected sites. Research distribution outside breeding season. Research demography, reproductive performance and foraging ecology³.

References 1. R. J. M. Crawford (unpublished data). 2. J. P. Croxall (unpublished data). 3. Ellis et al. (1998). 4. Marchant and Higgins (1990). 5. Trathan et al. (1998). 6. H. Weimerskirch per T. Micol in litt. (1999). 7. Woehler (1993). 8. Woehler and Croxall (1999).

Further web sources of information

Australian Govt - Action Plan for Australian Birds 2000 - Recovery Outline

Text account compilers Phil Benstead (BirdLife International), David Capper (BirdLife International), Jonathan Ekstrom (BirdLife International), Rachel McClellan (BirdLife International), Alison Stattersfield (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Contributors Rob Crawford (University of Cape Town), John Croxall (British Antarctic Survey), T. Micol

IUCN Red List evaluators Stuart Butchart (BirdLife International), Andy Symes (BirdLife International)

Recommended citation BirdLife International (2009) Species factsheet: Eudyptes chrysolophus. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 10/2/2010

This information is based upon, and updates, the information published in BirdLife International (2000) Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, BirdLife International (2004) Threatened birds of the world 2004 CD-ROM and BirdLife International (2008) Threatened birds of the world 2008 CD-ROM. These sources provide the information for species accounts for the birds on the IUCN Red List.

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