Records of Vagrant Penguins from Tasmania

Abstract

The documentation of 146 observations of nine species of penguins from three genera indicates that the frequency of reports of vagrant penguins to Tasmania has apparently increased since the 1970s. Four of the species breed at Macquarie Island (King Aptenodytes patagonicus, Gentoo Pygoscelis papua, Royal Eudyptes schlegeli and Rockhopper E. chrysocome Penguins), and three on the South Island of New Zealand or cool temperate islands south of New Zealand (Fiordland E. pachyrhynchus, Erect Crested E. sclateri and Snares Crested E. robustus Penguins). Two species are Antarctic breeding species (Adelie P. adeliae and Chinstrap P. antarctica Penguins).