{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "little-penguin",
  "name": "Little Penguin",
  "scientificName": "Eudyptula minor",
  "category": "Bird",
  "summary": "The little penguin (Eudyptula minor) is the smallest penguin in the world, standing about 30 cm tall and weighing just over 1 kg. Known as the fairy penguin in Australia and kororā in New Zealand, it has slate-blue upperparts and white underparts. It is the only penguin that comes ashore only at night, returning to burrows after dusk. It is listed as Least Concern.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Smallest of the penguins",
      "body": "Little penguins stand about 30 cm tall and weigh 1.1–1.2 kg. Their backs and flippers are a deep indigo-blue rather than black, and their throats and bellies are white. The eyes range from silver to blue, grey or hazel."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Night-time commuters",
      "body": "BirdLife describes the species as the only truly nocturnal penguin on land: adults go to sea before dawn and come ashore after dusk. They nest in burrows, rock crevices, under vegetation and sometimes under buildings, and gather in small groups called rafts at sea before landing."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Where they live",
      "body": "Little penguins breed along the southern coast of Australia, from Western Australia to New South Wales and Tasmania, and around New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands. Colonies such as Phillip Island in Victoria are well-known places to watch them come ashore."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Status",
      "body": "BirdLife International lists the little penguin as Least Concern (2020), estimating about 470,000 mature birds and a stable trend overall. Some colonies have declined or vanished because of foxes, dogs and cats, traffic on coastal roads and disturbance."
    }
  ],
  "faqs": [
    {
      "question": "What is the smallest penguin?",
      "answer": "The little penguin. It stands about 30 cm tall and weighs a little over 1 kg."
    },
    {
      "question": "Is a fairy penguin the same as a little penguin?",
      "answer": "Yes. 'Fairy penguin' is a common Australian name and 'kororā' is the Māori name for the same species, Eudyptula minor."
    },
    {
      "question": "Where can you see little penguins?",
      "answer": "Along the coasts of southern Australia and New Zealand. Many people watch them return to land at dusk at Phillip Island in Victoria."
    },
    {
      "question": "How long do little penguins live?",
      "answer": "On average about 6 years, though a banded bird was found alive at 25 years and 8 months."
    }
  ],
  "sourceUpdate": null,
  "evidence": [],
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Aves",
    "order": "Sphenisciformes",
    "family": "Spheniscidae",
    "genus": "Eudyptula"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 1.1,
    "lengthM": 0.3,
    "topSpeedKmh": 0,
    "lifespanYears": 6
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Eudyptula minor"
    },
    {
      "label": "Other names",
      "value": "Fairy penguin, kororā, blue penguin"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Small schooling fish, squid and krill"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Temperate coasts and offshore islands"
    },
    {
      "label": "Height",
      "value": "About 30 cm"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "1.1–1.2 kg"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Average 6 years; banded bird recorded at 25 years 8 months"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN Red List, assessed 2020)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Coasts and islands of southern Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands.",
    "continents": [
      "Oceania",
      "Oceans"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "BirdLife International (2026). Species factsheet: Little Penguin Eudyptula minor. BirdLife DataZone. Checked 1 November 2026.",
      "url": "https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/little-penguin-eudyptula-minor"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web: Eudyptula minor. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Eudyptula_minor/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Tobias, J. A. et al. (2022). AVONET: morphological, ecological and geographical data for all birds. Ecology Letters 25: 581–597. doi:10.1111/ele.13898",
      "url": null
    },
    {
      "citation": "Gill, F., Donsker, D. & Rasmussen, P. (Eds). IOC World Bird List v15.2.",
      "url": "https://www.worldbirdnames.org/new/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/little-penguin/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/little-penguin/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}