Fiordland Penguin
Fiordland PenguinFiordland PenguinFiordland PenguinFiordland Penguin

Fiordland Penguin

Eudyptes pachyrhynchus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered Endemic
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Rakiura National Park
237 Verified records at Rakiura National Park
November Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The Fiordland penguin (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus), also known as the Fiordland crested penguin (in Māori, tawaki), is a crested penguin species endemic to New Zealand. It currently breeds along the south-western coasts of New Zealand's South Island as well as on Stewart Island/Rakiura and its outlying islands. Because it originally ranged beyond Fiordland, it is sometimes referred to as the New Zealand crested penguin. It is occasionally found in Australia. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Fiordland Penguin sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 237 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Rakiura National Park

Snares Penguin
VU Endemic

Snares Penguin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eudyptes robustus

Insufficient data
Royal Penguin
LC

Royal Penguin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eudyptes schlegeli

Insufficient data
Little Penguin
LC

Little Penguin

🌅 Crepuscular Bird

Eudyptula minor

20–30% · Possible
Yellow-eyed Penguin
EN Endemic

Yellow-eyed Penguin

☀️🌙 Day & Night Bird

Megadyptes antipodes

5–10% · With luck

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
30–40
Feb
10–20
Mar
<5
Apr
5–10
May
<5
Jun
5–10
Jul
10–20
Aug
5–10
Sep
10–20
Oct
30–40
Nov
10–20
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Rakiura National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
10–20%
2 Fiordland National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
5–10%
3 Abel Tasman National Park 🇳🇿 New Zealand
Insufficient data
4 Great Otway National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data
5 Maria Island National Park 🇦🇺 Australia
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Fiordland Penguin in Rakiura National Park?

About 17% of wildlife watchers report a Fiordland Penguin sighting in Rakiura National Park, based on 237 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Fiordland Penguin in Rakiura National Park?

November has the highest sighting rate for Fiordland Penguin in Rakiura National Park in our monthly data.

← Back to Rakiura National Park