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
Hello 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
We were there in early to mid-October.
Ashly
Hello! 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
This 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
Hi
What time of day did the penguins come to shore?
Claudya
Love the shot of the bridge. The penguins are awesome.
Michelle
I 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
The 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
Ohhhh 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
Penguins! 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
That was interesting and no I have never seen one before they are great looking characters very cute heheh!
Adelina // Pack Me To
Ohhh 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
The 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
Rhonda, Seeing these penguins are now firmly planted on my list! How cute are they?
Comedy Plus
I can also see where they get their names too. Too cute.
Have a terrific day. 🙂
Rhonda Albom
I 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
How awesome! What a wonderful adventure. I’ve never seen one in real life, but those are beautiful birds.
L. Diane Wolfe
That’s a long time to wait, but at least it was in a beautiful location.
Rhonda Albom
Wildlife 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
Love the eyebrows the penguins have. We waited for the familiar waddle in the south island of N.Z. too. Penguins are adorable.
Rhonda Albom
Did 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
I 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
At 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
Wow, 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
I 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
It looks spectacular.
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Rainforests and penguins – what an amazing country you live in!! Photos are incredible, Rhonda. Mate for life – is that common for penguins?
Rhonda Albom
Yes, 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.