The hike to Monro beach, through New Zealand’s subtropical rainforest region, is spectacular on its own. With the added bonus of seeing a Fiordland Crested Penguin, this is now one of our most special days in New Zealand. The Fiordland Crested Penguin is one of the rarest penguins in the world, and one of the few that breed on beaches where people can easily get to.
Monroe beach is near Haast, about halfway along the drive from Wanaka to the Fox and Franz Josef glaciers.
If you are going to look for these magnificent flightless birds, be sure to bring your patience. We sat quietly and waited for 2 hours before we noticed in the distance the familiar waddle and grace of a Fiordland Crested Penguin moving from sea to bush. We moved quickly and quietly and were able to get a few shots, while keeping well clear of the penguin as per the guideline provided by the Department of Conservation. Sadly, this was the best shot I could get from the distance, as it was taken back in 2010, before I upgraded my camera.
By the time I was close enough to get a decent photo with my zoom lens, the penguin was already making its way to a hidden nest in the bush.
Searching the web, I found this beautiful shot of Fiordland Crested Penguins amongst a colourful photo gallery of predominately underwater shots, by Descend Scuba Diving in Milford Sound, New Zealand.
Photo Credit: @Descend Scuba diving. Used with written permission.
Fiordland Crested Penguin Facts
- The Fiordland Crested Penguin is endemic to New Zealand, and according to the NZ Department of Conservation, is one of the rarest penguins in the world.
- The Maori name for the penguins is Tawaki.
- During the nesting season, the main diet of the Fiordland Crested Penguin is juvenile squid, octopus, krill and small fish.
- Fiordland penguins frequently mate for life although fewer than 3000 breeding pairs currently remain.
- Mating pairs separate when not breeding, and it is the females who return each year looking for their mate from the previous season.
- They reach breeding maturity at about five or six years.
- These penguins nest individually or in small colonies between July and December.
- Females lay two white eggs which are incubated for 30-35 days. Sadly, the Fiordland Crested Penguin will only raise one chick each season, so if both hatches, one of the chicks die of starvation.
- Chicks are brooded by the male, who doesn’t eat for the initial three weeks.
- Penguins moult all of their feathers over a two week time period, which is very stressful to the birds. Because they don’t have their waterproof coating during this time, they cannot enter the water, therefore the penguins do not feed and may lose up to half of their body weight during moulting.
Cork Trees in Portugal and a Cork Museum in Spain
Isabela Keski-Frantti
November 8, 2017 at 3:44 pmHello Rhonda,
My husband and i wll be in Haast right after Christmas (26/12), which is when the penguin season is over. When did you guys go there? Cheers
Rhonda Albom
November 9, 2017 at 10:19 pmWe were there in early to mid-October.
Ashly
June 20, 2015 at 7:36 pmHello! I will be visiting New Zealand in September and I just wonder do I have to pay to enter the Monro Beach walk / Monro Beach? And is there any parking near the entrance? Thank You! 🙂
Rhonda Albom
June 23, 2015 at 4:01 pmThis was a completely free destination, as are most of the natural sites in New Zealand. We were really lucky to see a penguin. We sat and waited for about two hours, so if you are here for limited time, there are other places on the South Island where you will have better odds. It really depends on where you are traveling. Regardless, if you are headed to the South Island you are in for some of the World’s most spectacular natural scenery.
Yve
April 29, 2015 at 2:31 amHi
What time of day did the penguins come to shore?
Claudya
August 25, 2014 at 3:25 amLove the shot of the bridge. The penguins are awesome.
Michelle
August 21, 2014 at 2:12 pmI have never seen a penguin in the wild, only in the zoo.
I would probably wait 2-4 hours to see one.
As long as I could read a book while waiting 🙂
Rhonda Albom
August 22, 2014 at 4:09 pmThe problem of reading a book, is that you would miss it. They waddle so quietly from beach to bush and then they are gone.
SJ @ Chasing the Donkey
August 20, 2014 at 1:27 amOhhhh man, these ittle ones are just so damn sweet, I have only seen them at Taronga Zoo in Sydney. I’d love to see them in the wild. Big thanks for joining us for #SundayTraveler.
Marie-Carmen
August 19, 2014 at 10:01 pmPenguins! Seeing them would just make my day, or my week! Such amazing creatures!
I’ve seen a few crested penguins before but always in captivity, I’d just love to see them evolve freely!
stevebethere
August 19, 2014 at 6:57 pmThat was interesting and no I have never seen one before they are great looking characters very cute heheh!
Adelina // Pack Me To
August 19, 2014 at 4:34 amOhhh I would love to be able to see penguins in real life in the wild. They’re too adorable. Even with your old camera, you still managed to get quite a decent shot.
Rhonda Albom
August 19, 2014 at 11:53 amThe old camera, is still a good piece of equipment, but I do have a better zoom now. However in saying that, I still would need to carry a lot more camera weight to get the shot I would have wanted.
Corinne
August 19, 2014 at 4:07 amRhonda, Seeing these penguins are now firmly planted on my list! How cute are they?
Comedy Plus
August 19, 2014 at 2:25 amI can also see where they get their names too. Too cute.
Have a terrific day. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
August 19, 2014 at 11:52 amI know, aren’t they adorable. For some reason they remind me of Mr. Popper’s Penguins. Not in specie, but in the desire to want one, as they are so cute.
Christine Rains
August 19, 2014 at 1:28 amHow awesome! What a wonderful adventure. I’ve never seen one in real life, but those are beautiful birds.
L. Diane Wolfe
August 19, 2014 at 1:06 amThat’s a long time to wait, but at least it was in a beautiful location.
Rhonda Albom
August 19, 2014 at 11:50 amWildlife is worth the wait, yet I don’t always have enough patience. I guess that is why I am more of a street and landscape photographer. I only have to wait for the sun, which I can time.
jan
August 18, 2014 at 8:54 pmLove the eyebrows the penguins have. We waited for the familiar waddle in the south island of N.Z. too. Penguins are adorable.
Rhonda Albom
August 19, 2014 at 11:49 amDid you see them when you waited. I thought it was totally worth the wait, but I am not sure about the rest of the family.
Suzanne Fluhr
August 18, 2014 at 6:37 pmI think maybe I have. We hiked the Milford Track in Fiordland National Park which included 13 miles through the rainforest on the last day, ending at Sandfly Point. We spent the night at Milford Sound and went on a boat ride the next day where some penguins were pointed out to us. I think that was the right area, so maybe they were Fiordland Crested penguins.
Rhonda Albom
August 19, 2014 at 11:49 amAt Sandfly Point you probably saw yellow-eyed penguins (hoiho), which are also extremely rare and very cool to see. And hiking the Milford Track, what a really special experience that must have been. However, on your boat trip, you may have seen the Fiordland Crested penguin. How exciting.
noel
August 18, 2014 at 5:40 pmWow, great capture on the last photo, they are very funny and stately looking at the same time, I would love to capture them in a photograph
Rhonda Albom
August 19, 2014 at 11:45 amI agree, I only wish it was my shot. I couldn’t get nearly that close with the camera equipment I have. It’s a trade off, as you know – I don’t want to lug the giant zoom lens, so on special moments like this, I miss that amazing shot.
Joyce
August 18, 2014 at 1:26 pmIt looks spectacular.
Alex J. Cavanaugh
August 18, 2014 at 12:27 pmRainforests and penguins – what an amazing country you live in!! Photos are incredible, Rhonda. Mate for life – is that common for penguins?
Rhonda Albom
August 19, 2014 at 11:44 amYes, according to some quick research I just did, most species of penguin mate for life. And yes, New Zealand is an amazing place to live.