Breeding biology and breeding success of the blue penguin (Eudyptula minor) on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island

Abstract

This paper presents the first detailed study of the timing and breeding success of an apparently declining population of blue penguins (Eudyptula minor) on the West Coast, South Island, New Zealand. Nest contents of 138 natural burrows and 19 nest boxes were determined at regular intervals during the 2006 breeding season. Hatching, fledging, and overall breeding success rates were comparatively high at 78.9, 83.9, and 66.2%, respectively, suggesting that the apparent population decline cannot be explained solely by low breeding success. With 1.18 fledglings produced per pair, productivity was lower than on the east coast of the South Island, possibly due to the absence of double clutching. The high incidence of road kills suggests that road traffic may be a major contributing factor to the decline of the blue penguin population in the study area.