Macaroni Penguin

The Macaroni Penguin is a medium-sized crested penguin instantly recognizable by its striking orange-yellow plumes, which sprout from a patch on the forehead and sweep backward over the crown in a flamboyant crest. It has a black head and upperparts, white underparts, and a large, robust reddish-brown bill. It is one of the most numerous penguin species in the world by historical population, though numbers have declined significantly in recent decades.

Its common name is said to derive from 18th-century British slang, in which fashionable, flamboyantly dressed young men were called "macaronis," a nod to the penguin's own showy head plumes.

Key field marks

• Bright orange-yellow crest plumes sweeping back from a patch on the forehead
• Black head and upperparts contrasting with white underparts
• Large, heavy reddish-brown bill

Similar species

• Royal Penguin is very similar but has a white or pale grey face rather than black, and is restricted to Macquarie Island.
• Other crested penguins such as Rockhopper Penguins are smaller with thinner, more separated yellow plumes rather than a fused crest.

Habitat

Breeds on rocky, often steep and boulder-strewn coastal slopes of sub-Antarctic islands; forages in cold offshore waters.

Range

Breeds on islands including South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, Kerguelen, and the South Shetland Islands.

Migration

Spends the non-breeding winter months dispersed widely at sea, returning to densely packed colonies each spring to breed.

Behavior

Breeds in some of the largest and densest penguin colonies in the world, with birds often having to clamber over steep, rocky terrain to reach nesting sites.

Voice

Gives loud, harsh braying and trumpeting calls, especially during courtship displays involving head-shaking to show off the crest.

Feeding

Dives to catch krill as its primary prey, supplemented by small fish and squid.

Nesting

Builds a simple nest scrape often lined with pebbles on rocky ground; typically lays 2 eggs, though usually only the larger second egg produces a surviving chick.