Listen to the little penguin
Tip: press play to see the sound's live frequency spectrum in blue over the waveform.
About the little penguin
The little penguin is a bird in the family Spheniscidae (order Sphenisciformes). Wikidata describes it as “smallest species of penguin”. Its conservation status on the IUCN Red List is “least concern”. Adults weigh around 1.1 kg.
What does the little penguin sound like?
Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round. Listening for both helps with identification.
From Wikipedia
The little penguin (Eudyptula minor) is the smallest species of penguin in the world, and originates from New Zealand and Australia. It is commonly known as the fairy penguin, little blue penguin, or blue penguin, owing to its slate-blue plumage, and is also known by its Māori name kororā. It is a marine neritic species that dives for food throughout the day and returns to burrows on the shore at dusk. Eudyptula minor feathers are dense in melanosomes, which increase water resistance and give them their unique blue colour.
The Australian little penguin (Eudyptula novaehollandiae), from Australia and the Otago region of New Zealand, was initially described as Spheniscus novaehollandiae in 1826 but was later classified as Eudyptula minor novaehollandiae, a subspecies of the little penguin.
More from the family Spheniscidae
Frequently asked questions
What does a little penguin sound like?
You can hear 1 recording of the little penguin on this page. Most birds have two kinds of vocalisation: songs, which are learned or innate phrases delivered mainly in spring and summer, and calls – brief contact, alarm and begging notes heard all year round.
Is the little penguin endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the little penguin as “least concern”.
What family does the little penguin belong to?
The little penguin (Eudyptula minor) belongs to the family Spheniscidae in the order Sphenisciformes.
Sources & credits
- Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) by Benchill – CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Wikidata Q203628 – CC0
- Wikipedia: Little penguin – CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo by JJ Harrison ( https://www.jjharrison.com.au/ ) – CC BY-SA 3.0