Rockhopper Penguin

About the Rockhopper Penguin

There are three species of Rockhopper Penguins - Southern, Northern and Eastern - that until recently were considered conspecific under the name Eudyptes chrysocome. The Southern Rockhopper Penguins are thought to have a global population of about 1 million pairs, two-thirds of these breeding on the Falkland Islands off Argentina and southern Chile. Their breeding colonies in South America are a popular tourist destination.

Some of the characters in the animated feature film Surf's Up are Rockhoppers and one of the characters voiced by Robin Williams in Happy Feet is a Rockhopper as well.

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Details & Statistics

Added to Birdorable
Hatched on 21 July 2009
Scientific Name
Eudyptes chrysocome
  • Sphenisciformes
  • Spheniscidae
  • Eudyptes
  • E. chrysocome
Birdorable Family
Conservation Status
Vulnerable (as of 7 April 2020)
VU
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Near Threatened (NT)
  • Vulnerable (VU)
  • Endangered (EN)
  • Critically Endangered (CR)
  • Extinct in the Wild (EW)
  • Extinct (EX)
Source: IUCN Red List
Measurements
Units: Imperial / Metric
18 to 23 inches
70 to 120 ounces

Conservation

From IUCN Red List:
The Rockhopper Penguin is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and was last assessed in 2012 by BirdLife International. This species has been classified as Vulnerable owing to rapid population declines, which, although they have been on-going for perhaps a century, appear to have worsened in recent years.

International Names

Brazilian (Português brasileiro) Pingüim-de-penacho-amarelo
Czech (Cesky) Tučňák Skalní
Danish (Dansk) Springpingvin
Dutch (Nederlands) Rotspinguïn
Finnish (Suomi) Kalliotöyhtöpingviini
French (Français) Gorfou Sauteur
German (Deutsch) Felsenpinguin
Italian (Italiano) Eudipte Crestato
Japanese (日本語) イワトビペンギン (Iwatobipengin)
Norwegian (Norsk) Klippehopperpingvin
Polish (Polski) Pingwin Skalny
Russian (русский язык) хохлатый пингвин
Spanish (Español) Pingüino Saltarrocas
Swedish (Svenska) Klipphopparpingvin
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Birdorable 190: Rockhopper Penguin

Birdorable 190: Rockhopper Penguin

The Birdorable Bonanza continues with our 190th Birdorable: the Rockhopper Penguin. There are actually three species of Rockhopper Penguins -- Southern, Northern and Eastern -- that until recently were considered conspecific under ... more