Phillip Island is home to the smallest species of penguin in the world.
The Phillip Island penguins are discovered along the southern coastline of the Phillip Island, and they can be viewed from the Penguin Parade Viewing Platform with Penguins Plus.
Did you know there are 18 total species of penguin in the world? Australia might be home to incredibly big scary animals like crocodiles, or the deadly blue-ringed octopus… but it’s also home to some of the cutest animals!
Say hello to the little penguins of Phillip Island! Here are some fun, penguin-sized facts about these adorable little creatures.
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They weigh just under a kilo
Despite their strong flippers and despite how much they eat, these penguins are only 1 kilo! They are lightweight and agile through the water, and their light weightedness certainly helps this.
2. They are only just bigger than a bowling pin
The little penguins are little! Once they grow to full adult size, they are only just bigger than a bowling pin.
3. There used to be 10 penguin colonies on Phillip Island
Before European settlement around the area, there were 10 colonies of penguins. Eventually, over time, after the establishment of roads, buildings and civilisation, there is only one colony left as their habitat has been destroyed.
4. They cannot fly
These little penguins are flightless birds! Instead, they waddle from one foot to another to get around, and they are keen swimmers, gliding through the ocean very quickly. They have very strong flippers which flap rapidly through the water. Every second, the little penguin can flap 4 or 5 times.
5. They can eat 25% of their body weight every day
Fairy penguins survive on a balanced diet of different species of fish. Their staple diet includes anchovies, red cod, barracouta and warehou.
5. They spend 80% of their lives in the ocean
Adult penguins can even spend as much as 4 weeks out to sea, hunting for their food.
6. Both parents help to look after the chicks
When the female penguin lays an egg, both parents help to look after the eggs and the chicks. Parenting is a shared responsibility for the little penguins!
7. They are very well camouflaged
Their blue and white feathers help them blend seamlessly into the water. This means that birds flying over the ocean are unable to see them, or hunt them. No penguins for dinner!
8. Penguins waddle slowly to conserve energy
Because they need lots of energy to propel their very quick flippers under the water, they must save energy while they are on the rocks.
9. They have more feathers than many other bird species do
Little penguins have about 10,000 feathers. On a small, bowling-pin sized bird that is only the size of a bowling pin, that’s quite a lot of different feathers!
10. Every day, these penguins dive between 1300-2000 times!
Normally, they can dive 72km. They can go under for (at longest) 114 seconds in total.
Seeing the Penguin Parade
If you’re heading to Phillip Island to see the little penguins, visit the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre, or take a day tour from Melbourne!
Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia
Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.