Royal Penguin
Royal Penguins are a reminder that a species can look numerically strong while still being geographically narrow. Most of the story leads back to Macquarie Island.
Eudyptes schlegeli
Found exclusively on Macquarie Island, Royal Penguins are closely related to Macaroni Penguins but distinguished by their white or pale grey face. Their species status is still debated by scientists.
Height
65-76 cm
Weight
3-8 kg
Lifespan
15-20 years
Population trend
Stable
Royal penguins are very similar to macaronis but have a white face and chin instead of a black one, and they breed almost exclusively on sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island and nearby islets. There has been long-running debate over whether they are a separate species or just a macaroni subspecies, especially since some interbreeding occurs, but they are currently treated as a distinct species.
Like other Eudyptes penguins they nest colonially on beaches and vegetated slopes, typically laying two eggs but successfully raising only one chick, with parents alternating long incubation shifts of around 12 days. They were hunted for their oil until 1919 when Macquarie Island became a wildlife sanctuary, and their population has since recovered to around 850,000 pairs.
If You Only Learn One Thing About This Penguin
Royal Penguins are a reminder that a species can look numerically strong while still being geographically narrow. Most of the story leads back to Macquarie Island.
The Survival Problem
Because breeding is concentrated almost entirely on one island, any big shift in local marine productivity or colony conditions scales up very quickly.
What Makes This Species Weird
They are close relatives of the macaroni complex, but their defining trait is not the face. It is the fact that so much of the species is tied to one remote place.
Myth vs Reality
Myth
A giant colony on one island is a sign of safety.
Reality
Concentration is efficiency until it becomes a bottleneck. For Royal Penguins, Macquarie is both fortress and vulnerability.
Behavior & Traits
- Nest colonially on beaches and vegetated slopes, laying two eggs but raising only one chick
- Parents alternate long incubation shifts of around 12 days
- Some interbreeding with Macaroni Penguins occurs, fueling the ongoing species debate
- Population recovered from historical oil hunting after Macquarie Island became a sanctuary in 1919
Habitat & Range
Habitats
- Sandy and rocky beaches
- Vegetation-covered slopes
Regions
- Macquarie Island (Australia)
Diet
Conservation
Listed as Near Threatened. Historically hunted for their oil until Macquarie Island became a sanctuary in 1919, their population has since recovered to around 850,000 pairs. The successful eradication of introduced rabbits and rodents from Macquarie Island in 2014 has further improved their breeding habitat. Their extreme geographic concentration on one island remains a vulnerability.
Main threats
- Marine food-web shifts
- Storm exposure at coastal colonies
- Localized human disturbance
Common predators
Breeding & Movement
Breeding
- Breeds almost entirely on Macquarie Island in large, crowded colonies.
- Pairs rely on repeated foraging trips into productive Southern Ocean waters.
Movement
- Royal Penguins spend much of the year foraging at sea and return to established breeding colonies on land or ice.
Fun Facts
Found only on Macquarie Island — one of the most restricted ranges of any penguin
Some scientists debate whether they are a separate species from Macaroni Penguins
They were hunted for their oil until 1919 when Macquarie Island became a sanctuary
Distinguished from Macaroni Penguins by their white face and chin
Parents alternate incubation shifts of around 12 days while the other forages at sea
Like other crested penguins, they lay two eggs but typically raise only one chick
The eradication of introduced rabbits and rodents from Macquarie Island in 2014 improved their breeding habitat
Research Gap
The open question is how resilient Macquarie-centered breeding will remain if food shifts push adult foraging farther offshore.
Frequently Asked Questions
How tall is a Royal Penguin?
Royal Penguins stand between 65 and 76 centimeters tall and weigh between 3 and 8 kg.
What do Royal Penguins eat?
Royal Penguins primarily eat Krill, Small fish, and Squid.
Where do Royal Penguins live?
Royal Penguins are found in Macquarie Island (Australia). Their habitats include sandy and rocky beaches, vegetation-covered slopes.
Are Royal Penguins endangered?
The Royal Penguin is classified as "Near Threatened" by the IUCN. Their current estimated population is ~850,000 pairs. Listed as Near Threatened. Historically hunted for their oil until Macquarie Island became a sanctuary in 1919, their population has since recovered to around 850,000 pairs. The successful eradication of introduced rabbits and rodents from Macquarie Island in 2014 has further improved their breeding habitat. Their extreme geographic concentration on one island remains a vulnerability.
How long do Royal Penguins live?
Royal Penguins typically live between 15 and 20 years in the wild.
What is unique about Royal Penguin behavior?
Nest colonially on beaches and vegetated slopes, laying two eggs but raising only one chick. Parents alternate long incubation shifts of around 12 days. Some interbreeding with Macaroni Penguins occurs, fueling the ongoing species debate. Population recovered from historical oil hunting after Macquarie Island became a sanctuary in 1919.
What threats do Royal Penguins face?
Listed as Near Threatened. Historically hunted for their oil until Macquarie Island became a sanctuary in 1919, their population has since recovered to around 850,000 pairs. The successful eradication of introduced rabbits and rodents from Macquarie Island in 2014 has further improved their breeding habitat. Their extreme geographic concentration on one island remains a vulnerability.
Written for Penguin Survival Lab
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 schlegeli
- Height
- 65-76 cm
- Weight
- 3-8 kg
- Lifespan
- 15-20 years
- Status
- Near Threatened
- Population
- ~850,000 pairs
- Genus
- Eudyptes
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Start with the closest side-by-side matches by lineage, habitat, and size.
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.
Sources and further reading
This profile was reviewed on February 14, 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.
- Australian Antarctic Division - Antarctic species profiles, breeding, and environmental context.
- Penguins International - Species explainers and conservation context focused on penguins.
