Erect-crested Penguin
Eudyptes sclateri
One of the least-known penguin species, named for distinctive upward-pointing yellow crest feathers they can raise and lower at will. They breed on two remote island groups south of New Zealand.
Erect-crested penguin with distinctive upright yellow crest
IUCN Red List status
Classified as Endangered, with significant population declines over the past several decades.
Red List history and threatsEstimated population
~150,000 breeding pairs
Decreasing trend
Estimate assessed 2020.
Erect-crested penguins are endemic to the New Zealand region and breed almost entirely on the remote Bounty and Antipodes Islands in the sub-Antarctic. As their name suggests, their yellow eye stripes form tall, upright crests that they can raise and lower at will, and they are medium-to-large crested penguins that spend most of the year at sea.
They show one of the most extreme egg-size dimorphisms known in birds: the second egg in the clutch averages about 81 percent larger than the first, and almost all pairs lose the smaller first egg around the time the second is laid, for reasons that remain unclear. Their at-sea behavior and non-breeding biology remain largely a mystery due to the extreme remoteness of their breeding islands.
If You Only Learn One Thing About This Penguin
Erect-crested Penguins are the awkward question in penguin reproduction: why lay a first egg you almost never raise?
The Survival Problem
With an extremely restricted breeding range and low reproductive flexibility, this species has very little buffer when conditions turn poor.
What Makes This Species Weird
They lay two eggs of strikingly different size, then usually invest in the later egg. It is one of the strangest breeding patterns in any penguin.
Myth vs Reality
Myth
Two eggs means two real chances at a chick.
Reality
In erect-crested penguins, the first egg is so often lost or ignored that it looks less like a backup and more like an unresolved evolutionary puzzle.
Behavior & Traits
- Can raise and lower their distinctive upright yellow crest feathers at will
- Show one of the most extreme egg-size dimorphisms in birds — the second egg is about 81% larger than the first
- Almost all pairs lose the smaller first egg around the time the second is laid, for reasons that remain unclear
- Spend most of the year at sea, with their non-breeding behavior remaining largely a mystery
Habitat & Range
Diet
Conservation
Classified as Endangered, with significant population declines over the past several decades. The extreme remoteness of their breeding islands on the Bounty and Antipodes Islands makes monitoring difficult, and relatively little is known about their non-breeding biology. Climate change and shifts in prey availability are suspected drivers of decline, but the lack of data makes conservation planning challenging.
Red List history
What is driving it: A decline of roughly 70% since the 1970s across a range confined to two island groups, with the cause still unresolved.
- 2020EndangeredCurrent
Main threats
- Extremely restricted breeding range
- Low reproductive resilience
- Changing ocean conditions
Common predators
Breeding & Movement
Breeding
- Breeds on a few remote islands with highly seasonal colony attendance.
- Usually lays two eggs but often invests most heavily in the later egg.
Movement
- Erect-crested Penguins spend much of the year foraging at sea and return to established breeding colonies on land or ice.
Fun Facts
They can raise and lower their distinctive crest feathers at will
One of the least studied penguin species due to their remote breeding locations
The second egg they lay is about 81% larger than the first — one of the most extreme egg-size differences in birds
Almost all pairs lose the smaller first egg when the second is laid, for reasons scientists still don't understand
They breed almost entirely on just two remote island groups — the Bounty and Antipodes Islands
Their at-sea behavior remains largely a mystery to scientists
They have experienced significant population decline over the past several decades
Research Gap
The central research gap is still the weird one: why the species produces the first egg at all, and what selective pressure keeps that pattern in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is an Erect-crested Penguin?
Erect-crested Penguins stand 50–70 cm tall and typically weigh 2.5–6 kg.
What do Erect-crested Penguins eat?
Erect-crested Penguins primarily eat krill, squid, and small fish. Prey choice tracks ocean conditions and breeding season energy needs as much as preference.
Where do Erect-crested Penguins live?
Erect-crested Penguins are found in Bounty Islands and Antipodes Islands (New Zealand). Habitats include Rocky coastlines and Sub-Antarctic islands.
What is the main survival problem for Erect-crested Penguins?
With an extremely restricted breeding range and low reproductive flexibility, this species has very little buffer when conditions turn poor.
Are Erect-crested Penguins endangered?
The Erect-crested Penguin is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Estimated population: ~150,000 breeding pairs. Population trend: decreasing. Classified as Endangered, with significant population declines over the past several decades. The extreme remoteness of their breeding islands on the Bounty and Antipodes Islands makes monitoring difficult, and relatively little is known about their non-breeding biology. Climate change and shifts in prey availability are suspected drivers of decline, but the lack of data makes conservation planning challenging.
How long do Erect-crested Penguins live?
Erect-crested Penguins typically live 15–20 years in the wild, though food access, predation, and breeding success can cut that short.
What is a common myth about Erect-crested Penguins?
Myth: Two eggs means two real chances at a chick. Reality: In erect-crested penguins, the first egg is so often lost or ignored that it looks less like a backup and more like an unresolved evolutionary puzzle.
What threatens Erect-crested Penguins?
The main pressures include extremely restricted breeding range, low reproductive resilience, and changing ocean conditions. Natural predators include Skuas, Giant petrels, and Fur seals.
What is one surprising fact about Erect-crested Penguins?
They can raise and lower their distinctive crest feathers at will
Written for the Survival Lab series on Penguin Place
Penguin Place is written like a natural-history notebook, not a content mill. The job is to explain what each penguin is up against, what makes it strange, and where the evidence still runs thin.
Quick Facts
- Scientific Name
- Eudyptes sclateri
- Height
- 50–70 cm
- Weight
- 2.5–6 kg
- Lifespan
- 15–20 years
- Status
- Endangered
- Population
- ~150,000 breeding pairs
- Genus
- Eudyptes
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How we source claims
We start with conservation assessments, research institutions, and field guides that have to survive real scrutiny. Then we write only what still sounds true after the comparison.
- Use IUCN, BirdLife, museums, aquariums, conservation groups, and research institutions before broad explainers.
- Lead with a survival problem, not a keyword bucket.
- Say when the science is uncertain instead of sanding every gap into fake certainty.
Further reading
This profile was reviewed on February 8, 2026 using the sources listed below.
- IUCN Red List - Global conservation assessments and extinction-risk categories.
- BirdLife Data Zone - Species accounts, distribution, and population summaries.
- New Zealand Department of Conservation Penguins Hub - New Zealand penguin species, threats, and habitat guidance.
- Penguins International - Species explainers and conservation context focused on penguins.
Continue the trail
Broader Survival Lab reading on Penguin Place connected to Erect-crested Penguin — survival, habitat, food, and conservation pressure.
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