description Royal Penguin Overview
The royal penguin is a crested penguin associated with Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean. It resembles the macaroni penguin but has a white face and throat rather than the darker facial pattern characteristic of that species. The royal penguin is commonly treated as Eudyptes schlegeli, although its taxonomic status has been discussed in relation to the macaroni penguin. It breeds on Macquarie Island and nearby islets.
help Royal Penguin FAQ
Where does the royal penguin live?
The royal penguin, Eudyptes schlegeli, breeds mainly on Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean and on the nearby Bishop and Clerk Islets. The Australian Antarctic Program describes it as endemic to that small island group. ([Australian Antarctic Program](https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/animals/penguins/royal-penguin/))
How can you tell a royal penguin from a macaroni penguin?
Both are crested penguins, but the royal penguin has a mostly white face and throat rather than the darker facial pattern of the macaroni penguin. Its scientific name is Eudyptes schlegeli. ([Australian Antarctic Program](https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/animals/penguins/royal-penguin/))
What does the royal penguin eat?
Its breeding-season diet is dominated by krill, especially Euphausia valentini and Thysanoessa gregaria, along with juvenile lanternfish. The Australian Antarctic Program gives approximate diet shares of 40 percent and 10 percent for the two krill species. ([Australian Antarctic Program](https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/animals/penguins/royal-penguin/))
When do royal penguin chicks hatch and leave the colony?
Females lay eggs in mid to late October, and incubation lasts about 30 days, so hatching begins around late November or early December. Chicks start fledging in late February, while adults usually moult in March and April. ([Australian Antarctic Program](https://www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/animals/penguins/royal-penguin/))
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