Northern Rockhopper

The northern rockhopper penguin have long bright yellow head feathers, which are longer than the other crested penguins.  This group had been lumped with the southern rockhopper, though morphological differences had been recognized for years.   DNA analysis showed a split between the populations and they have been considered separate species since 2006.  This species has a limited distribution, nesting on Tristan da Chuna and Gough Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean and Amsterdam and Saint Paul Islands in the Indian Ocean.  He species is considered endangered by the IUCN and has decreased over 50% in the last three generations.  In some locations there have been greater decreases, such as Gough Island with a 90% decrease in breeding pairs since 1955. 

 

For more information on northern rockhopper penguin natural history visit the Global Penguin Society at  https://www.globalpenguinsociety.org/portfolio-species-8.html   

 

For more information on northern rockhopper penguin conservation status visit the IUCN Red List page at Eudyptes moseleyi (Northern Rockhopper Penguin) (iucnredlist.org)