How many blue penguins can you see in Oamaru?
The number of blue penguins you can see in Oamaru depends on the season: if you go in winter, the amount of Oamaru penguins may be reduced to below 50. Blue penguins Oamaru: At the Oamaru penguin colony, there are always 10 nests available for viewing: The best time to see the blue penguins is in the evening when they return from the sea.
Where can I see blue penguins in New Zealand?
Blue penguins Oamaru: At the Oamaru penguin colony, there are always 10 nests available for viewing: The best time to see the blue penguins is in the evening when they return from the sea. However, if there are penguins at home during the day, you can take a guided tour and see them resting in their nest boxes.
When is the best time to see the blue penguins?
The best time to see the blue penguins is in the evening when they return from the sea. However, if there are penguins at home during the day, you can take a guided tour and see them resting in their nest boxes.
How do the Oamaru blue penguin colony cams work?
The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony Cams use two high-res cameras and an external microphone to capture the penguin chatter. The first high definition AXIS Q6135-LE PTZ Network Camerais situated near the water’s edge to view the colony comings and goings.
See more
What time do penguins come ashore in Oamaru?
We are not currently operating day tours due to Covid-19. We are open every night of the year for evening viewing from 5.00pm. The penguins arrive each night after sunset so the Evening Viewing start and finish times vary during the year depending upon the season.
Can you see penguins in Oamaru?
Oamaru is best known for its incredible wild penguin viewing opportunities and for good reason. The blue penguin population is thriving and yellow-eyed penguins can also be seen both in Oamaru itself and very nearby.
What time of the year do penguins come ashore?
Adult birds come ashore between May and June to prepare nests. They may waddle up to 1.5 km from the sea, and climb 300 m to find the perfect nest site. Traditional nests are in underground burrows, under vegetation, in crevices, between rocks or in caves.
Where are the yellow-eyed penguins in Oamaru?
Bushy BeachYellow Eyed Penguins & Fur Seals At Bushy Beach, also in Oamaru, you can see New Zealand's endangered Yellow-Eyed Penguin. From a platform on the beach headland, you'll be able to spot New Zealand fur seals on the rocks below.
Where can I watch blue penguins in Oamaru for free?
Spot the penguin location 1: Walk/cycle/drive towards Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony. Instead of going towards the registration desk, turn left to face Portside Restaurant & Bar – there will be a tiny bridge. To the left of the bridge is a hard-to-spot unpaved path down to the beach. Look hard.
What time do penguins come out?
Penguins arrive at sunset every evening. General Viewing - ticket holders should plan to arrive at least 1 hour before penguin arrival time. Penguins Plus - ticket holders should plan to arrive at least 1 hour before penguin arrival time.
Do penguins come out in winter?
Penguins leave Antarctica after summer, but where they go in winter was a mystery. Now, thanks to a tiny location device, scientists discovered that macaroni penguins do not go sunbathing: they spend winter feeding in the cold southern oceans.
Where can I see little blue penguins?
Australia: southern coast as far north as Port Stephens in the east to Fremantle in the west. Little Blues are temperate water penguins, inhabiting both offshore islands, preferably with rocky shorelines, and mainland sites near or in urbanized areas.
Where can I see a blue penguin?
Blue penguins breed on the coastal mainland and islands of New Zealand and southern Australia (shown on map below). In Australia they used to be called fairy penguins. There are several things that are unique to the little blue penguin: Its colour — blue with a white chest.
What time of year are the penguins in Dunedin?
year-roundPenguins in Dunedin The Otago Peninsula is home to breeding colonies of Little Blue Penguins and rare Yellow-eyed Penguins, who reside here year-round.
When can you see penguins in New Zealand?
The best time to see them is July to November, which is breeding season. The west coast is one of the most remote parts of New Zealand, but it's a popular road trip destination.
Where is the best place to see penguins?
Where in the World You Can See PenguinsAntarctica. If you go on a voyage through Antarctica, a highlight is zooming through the icy water in Zodiac landing craft to observe loud colonies of chinstrap, emperor, Gentoo and Adelie penguins. ... The Galapagos Islands. ... New Zealand. ... South Africa.
Colony size
The number of blue penguins you can see in Oamaru depends on the season:
Ideal times to view the Oamaru blue penguins
The best time to see the blue penguins is in the evening when they return from the sea.
Guided tours to see Oamaru blue penguins
To see the little blue penguins of Oamaru, you can either opt for a day or night tour.
Pictures of penguins
It is a truly remarkable and captivating experience to see the little blue penguins waddling up the rocks from the sea and making their way to their Cliffside homes in the evenings.
How late can you see a penguin in the summer?
During the summer months Evening Viewing is as late as 9:00 pm while during the winter our birds are arriving home as early as 5:30 pm. Arrival numbers vary from up over 200 in Summer down to under 30 in Winter. Take a look at our Penguin Information Calendar for more information here. Running time : 1-2 hours.
How far away can you see penguins from the general entry?
From the General Entry grandstand you will see the penguins from about 10-15 metres away.
How far away are penguins from the grandstand?
From the General Entry grandstand you will see the penguins from about 10-15 metres away. You are seated in a grandstand that seats 350 people, bookings are advised in the summer months.
How old are Oamaru blue penguins?
About the Oamaru Blue Penguins. Kororā, Little Penguins or Blue Penguins normally live to around 8-10 years. The oldest penguin at the OBPC lived to 21 years old. They are the world’s smallest penguin, standing at only 35-43 cm and weigh in at just over 1kg.
What is the Oamaru Blue Penguin colony?
The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony provides visitors with an opportunity to see little penguins in their natural environment. A tour during the day allows visitors to peek into the penguins’ nests, stroll through their habitat and learn about their fascinating lives.
What camera do you use to capture the chatter of a blue penguin?
About the Live Cams used in Oamaru. The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony Cams use two high-res cameras and an external microphone to capture the penguin chatter. The first high definition AXIS Q6135-LE PTZ Network Camera is situated near the water’s edge to view the colony comings and goings.
What is the conservation programme of the New Zealand penguin colony?
At the core of the operation is a long-term conservation programme that ensures the penguins are protected and that the population achieves long-term stability. An important and unique part of that conservation programme is the Colony’s Research Scientist who is now one of New Zealand’s leading little penguin experts.
Where do penguins breed?
They visit (but are not known to breed at) the Three Kings Islands, and are vagrant to the Snares Islands. Little penguins are also common in south-western and south-eastern Australia, where they are also known as fairy penguin.
How many eggs can a penguin lay?
They are monogamous within a breeding season and share incubation and chick-rearing duties. They are the only species of penguin capable of producing more than one clutch of eggs per breeding season, but few populations do so.
The experience
Based in the harbour, the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony is the big tourist drawcard for the city. They are open for viewing every night throughout the year, starting just after sunset. They have a MC who will tell you all about blue penguins and their habits, as well spot the rafts of penguins before they come ashore.
The seating: premium vs general
There are two ticket options at the Blue Penguin Colony in Oamaru - premium and general. As you can imagine, the premium tickets offer a little more at an extra cost. At time of writing the difference in pricing between the seating options is $15.
Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony: the pros and cons
You will (very likely) see an incredible nummber of penguins. Over 400 breeding pairs live in this colony and the numbers are increasing 10% each year. It is by far the biggest number of blue penguins we’ve ever seen.
Viewing blue penguins: paid vs free
There are opportunities to view little blue penguins in Oamaru without paying the entry fee, but you see far fewer, and when I say far fewer I mean we saw 10 in about the same time we saw 244 at the colony!
So is it worth the entry fee?
I would say definitely yes for the sheer number of penguins you’ll see, as well as the fact that it’s a very successful conservation project. If you are on a strict budget and you want an amazing penguin experience then I would recommend heading to Katiki Point Lighthouse for a truly spectacular Yellow-eyed penguin (hoiho) spotting opportunity.
Where to see blue penguins in Oamaru?
Oamaru has even been dubbed Penguintown. Either spot them finding their nesting burrows along the coastline at dusk or watch rafts of penguins come home after a hard day’s fishing at the Blue Penguin Colony.
Where do blue penguins nest?
Little blue penguins flock to Caroline Bay at dusk, nesting along the edges of the beach in the roped-off areas. Observe them from behind the rope, watching parents feed their chicks and nesting burrow interactions.
What is the second rarest penguin?
Munro Beach is home to the world’s second rarest penguin species: Tawaki a.k.a Fiordland-crested penguin. If you are lucky enough to see one, enjoy observing them from a distance in order to not disturb their natural behaviour.
What are the three penguin species that live in New Zealand?
The three main penguin species native to New Zealand are the little blue penguins, yellow-eyed penguins and Fiordland-crested penguins.
Where to see birds in New Zealand?
Keep your eyes peeled when taking a boat cruise through this stunning area on the top of the South Island. 5. Stewart Island. Stewart Island is arguably one of the best places to see a variety of birds in New Zealand. Among that variety of birds are possible sightings of little blue penguins and yellow-eyed penguins.
