The scientific name of the fairy penguin is Eudyptula
minor. Fairy penguins live only in the Southern Hemisphere because they like
warm water. They can be found in Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. They are
also 16-17 inches tall and they only weigh two pounds!! Fairy penguins are also
called "little blues" because of their blue-gray colored feathers.
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Every day, they are out at sea hunting for food, like small fish, squid, anchovies, small octopi, krill, and pilchards. From the sea floor they may find crab eggs, sea horses, and crustaceans. Also, like many other penguins, they swallow their food whole. Right before dark, they return to their burrows for rest for the night to rest for the next day’s hunting. |
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The females arrive in June to breeding colonies and meet with males that perform tricks to show off to the females. Egg laying times are from June to August. They lay two eggs at a time that take about five weeks to hatch. They may lay up to three clutches in one mating season. After about three weeks, the mother penguin comes to check on their children often. After about five weeks, their mothers only come to bring the babies food. After that, their mothers force them out of their nests, but they can fend for themselves, as well as providing food and can swim-which is a natural ability. |
