Western Rockhopper Penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Western Rockhopper Penguin

Eudyptes chrysocome (Forster, JR, 1781)

2.3 kgWeight

The western rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) is a species of rockhopper penguin.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Falkland Islands, Argentina, French Southern Territories

Vulnerable

Where and when it's recorded

Western Rockhopper Penguin has been recorded at 24 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 7 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. West Point IslandFalkland Islands491 records
  2. Sea Lion IslandFalkland Islands326 records
  3. Saunders Island – The NeckFalkland Islands309 records
More places
  1. New IslandFalkland Islands247 records
  2. Cape PembrokeFalkland Islands113 records
  3. Bleaker IslandFalkland Islands112 records
  4. Steeple Jason IslandFalkland Islands107 records
  5. Punta LoyolaArgentina58 records
  6. Pebble IslandFalkland Islands50 records
  7. Carcass IslandFalkland Islands36 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Falkland IslandsArgentinaFrench Southern TerritoriesChileHeard & McDonald IslandsUruguayAntarctica

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The western rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome) is a species of rockhopper penguin. It occurs in subantarctic waters around the southern coast of South America and nearby islands.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Western Rockhopper Penguin?

The Western Rockhopper Penguin weighs around 2.3 kg.

Where does the Western Rockhopper Penguin live?

Its breeding range: South America, Atlantic Ocean: islands of southern Chile including Cape Horn; Falkland Islands. It is most often recorded in Falkland Islands, Argentina and French Southern Territories.

When is the best time to see the Western Rockhopper Penguin?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Western Rockhopper Penguin endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Western Rockhopper Penguin as Vulnerable.

What does the Western Rockhopper Penguin eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Western Rockhopper Penguin in?

It belongs to the family Penguins (Spheniscidae), order Sphenisciformes.

At a glance

Weight
2.3 kg
Habitat
Ocean
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
On the water surface
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Vulnerable
More measurements
Wing
98 mm
Tail
87 mm
Bill
50 mm
Tarsus
26 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

South America, Atlantic Ocean: islands of southern Chile including Cape Horn; Falkland Islands

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Penguins Spheniscidae
Genus
Eudyptes

Other birds in the genus Eudyptes

Macaroni PenguinMacaroni PenguinEudyptes chrysolophusRoyal PenguinRoyal PenguinEudyptes schlegeliNorthern Rockhopper PenguinNorthern Rockhopper PenguinEudyptes moseleyiEastern Rockhopper PenguinEastern Rockhopper PenguinEudyptes filholiFiordland PenguinFiordland PenguinEudyptes pachyrhynchusSnares PenguinSnares PenguinEudyptes robustusErect-crested PenguinErect-crested PenguinEudyptes sclateriKing PenguinKing PenguinAptenodytes patagonicusEmperor PenguinEmperor PenguinAptenodytes forsteriAdelie PenguinAdelie PenguinPygoscelis adeliae
Western Rockhopper Penguin

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Paul Steeves. ↗

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