Macaroni Penguins
Scientific Name: Eudyptes Chrysolophus  

The Macaroni penguins belong to a group of penguins called crested penguins because of the orange yellow feathers that grow above the eyes. The Macaroni penguin could be easily confused with the Royal penguin. The Macaroni is larger than the Royal penguin. The Macaroni penguin also has a mostly black face and the Royal penguin has a mostly white face.

The Macaroni penguins grow to about 70 cm tall and can weigh as much as 5.5 kg. The female is usually smaller than the male. 

Summer time is time to make nests and lay eggs. The Macaroni gather in very large, crowded and noisy groups at this time. After the eggs have hatched and the young are old enough to be on their own, these same areas will be completely deserted.

The Macaroni penguins make very simple nests by digging or scraping a hollow area in the earth, mud or sand. Sometimes they simply lay their eggs on the ground near a big rock or near a tuft of grass for protection.

Usually two eggs are laid, but only the second one survives to hatch a chick. It will take about 36 days for an egg to hatch. Both parents take turns caring for the egg, keeping it warm and protected until it hatches. The egg will hatch after about 35 days. The parent that is not taking care of the egg is out getting food.

After the chick hatches, the female will be responsible for going out and bringing food back food for the chick every day. The male will stay and protect the chick. This lasts for about 25 days. The chicks now, are covered in downy feathers and they will begin to gather together in groups called crèches for warmth and protection. The parents continue to feed the chicks every other day or so until they have grown adult feathers. The parents will return at nightfall to feed the chick. When the adult feathers have grown in, the young penguin is ready to go to sea and take care of itself. This happens when they are about 65 days old.

Macaroni penguins like to eat small sea animals called krill. Sometimes they will eat squid, too. They hunt for food by diving under water. They can stay under water for up to two minutes and can dive as deep as three hundred feet. They hunt for food during the day, sometimes at night, too.

The Macaroni penguin has several natural enemies that hunt it for food. The animals that hunt the Macaroni penguin for food include leopard seals, sea lions and killer whales, gulls, skuas, petrels, and other birds that live on or near the shore.

Some of man's activities are problems for the Macaroni penguin, too. More fishing in areas where Macaroni penguins feed means that there is less food for them to eat. Also oil spills are a danger to penguins.