We did an evening "flashlight" tour at a site 30 mi north of Freycinet where 1200 fairy penguins breed. The penguins are about 12" tall. They spend their days feeding at sea and then at night they march up the beach in groups of 8-12 to reach their burrows. They are totally indifferent to flashlights or the presence of humans, and waddled right along side us. It was an amazing experience.
They return daily to the same site where they were born. After the eggs are laid, males and females take daily turns sitting on the eggs, one sits, the other feeds all day and returns at dusk.
After the chicks are born they regurgitate food to feed them.
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