Rockhopper Penguin
Rockhopper penguins were named for their unique mode of locomotion.
Colorful penguins
Rockhoppers stand out from the basic black-and-white penguin species with touches of hot color: red eyes, orange beaks and long chrome yellow crest feathers like wild eyebrows. During mating displays, the birds shake their heads rapidly to make the long yellow plumes whirl. Rockhoppers are fiercely territorial and given to noisy displays too. A breeding colony can be heard from miles away—not to mention through the inch-thick glass of Shedd’s penguin habitat.
Rock nesters
Using available materials, male rockhoppers carefully select and arrange small rocks in a circle to keep his mate's eggs from rolling away. A nice nest will attract a female or reinforce an existing pair bond. Hauling the rocks one by one in his beak, a male is not above stealing better-looking stones from his neighbors in the breeding colony. Rockhoppers return to the same nest year after year. Pairs usually raise only one chick, taking turns with incubating, brooding and feeding.
Meet the Penguins
From crested rockhoppers to smooth-swimming Magellanics, meet the penguins that call Shedd Aquarium home.
Spring is the Season of Love! Shedd Penguins Build Nests for Mating Season
Love is in the air during spring, which is especially true for the penguins at Shedd Aquarium as they prepare for mating season. It is officiall...
Four Rockhopper Penguins at Shedd Aquarium Celebrate Unprecedented 30th Birthdays
Four rockhopper penguins (Eudyptes chrysocome) at Shedd Aquarium are celebrating the big 3-0! The birds, fondly named Drake, Magdalena, Pebbles ...
Other birds
Green araçari
Brazilian teal
Barred owl
Red-tailed hawk
Wood duck
Great horned owl