The beak is largely covered with black feathers, leaving only the tip exposed; this is primarily black, though it can show indistinct reddish-brown markings.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyPenguins
SizeLarge
RarityCommon
HabitatOnce they have finished breeding, adult Adélie penguins typically move to ice floes or ice shelves to moult, though some remain onshore.
Best timeMost reliable in Tasmania from December.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Stella Zhang
Range map
Range map
3approx hotspots
91895approx records
0states
Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Also note stubby reddish bill and white eyering. Adults have an all-dark throat, whereas juveniles have a mostly white one.
Behavior
Gives hoarse barking, grunting, and braying calls, especially when at the colony.
Gallery
Regional timing
Tasmania
Commonly confused with
Royal PenguinEudyptes schlegeliNote bright yellow, orange, and black plumes. Easily distinguished from Macaroni Penguin by whitish face, and from Chinstrap Penguin by crests.→Eastern Rockhopper PenguinEudyptes filholiEastern Rockhopper breeds on various subantarctic islands around New Zealand and in the southern Indian Ocean. Most often seen at breeding colonies, but singles or small groups can sometimes be found in the open ocean far from land. Compare with Erect-crested Penguin in the New Zealand subantarctic; note Eastern Rockhopper’s smaller size, smaller bill, and thinner yellow eyebrow. Compare with larger Macaroni Penguin in the Indian Ocean, which has a larger bill and deeper golden head plumes. Typically no range overlap with Northern or Western Rockhopper, but vagrants are possible anywhere in the Southern Ocean; note details of bill pattern and crest shape.→