The little
Penguin, also called the fairy penguin, is the smallest of all the world's
penguins and is found only in southern Australia and New Zealand.
Indigenous
people in these areas would have known the little penguin well. The first
written description was made in 1781 by J. R. Forster from a specimen
previously collected on one of Captain Cook's voyages. Forster's scientific
name for the birds was Eudyptula minar, wich means "good little
diver" in Greek.
Life at sea
Although
some little penguins return to their burrows throughout the year, most remain
at
sea for
long periods during autumn and winter. They are superbly adapted for life in
the
water. With
a streamlined body, short wings modified as paddles. and by using their feet and
tails for
manoeuvring, little penguins literally fly underwater.
Adult birds
weigh about one kilogram and grow to a height of 40 cm. On average birds live
for
seven
years, taking two to three years to reach maturity. They feed mainly on small
fish.
squid, and
krill (shrimp-like crustaceans), which they obtain during shallow short dives,
usually to
depths of 5 to 20 metres.
Feathers adapted for swimming
At sea the
short stiff feathers compress forming a thin watertight barrier, below which downy
filaments trap air close to the body, insulating the birds when diving, Oil
spills spell disaster for penguins and other sea birds. Not only is oil toxic
when ingested, but it also removes the buoyancy and insulation of the
specialised penguin feathers.
Returning to the land
Betweekn June and August male penguins return to the land to renovate old burrows or dig new ones. Theyr noisy courting displays greet arriving female penguins. Only one mate is chosen. Birds raise one or two clutches a year depending on food availability. Little penguins commonly breed in loose colonies. Mates stay together for years.
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