As recorded by Oliver, two exploring expeditions, the American Exploring Expedition and the French expedition
commanded by Admiral D’Urville, visited the Auckland Islands in March, 1840. Both collected
specimens of the yellow-eyed penguin. The British Antarctic Expedition under Sir James Clark
Ross obtained specimens both at the Auckland and Campbell Islands in November and December,
1840. From the coast of New Zealand this penguin was first obtained by the British expedition
in 1841. About 1885 it was discovered breeding on the Otago Peninsular by P. Seymour and it was in this locality that its life history was worked out in detail over a period of eighteen years
by L.E. Richdale.
The yellow-eyed penguin is a resident species, remaining in the
vicinity of its breeding places throughout the winter. This was demonstrated by Richdale
during his investigations on the Otago Peninsula. He observed, too, that the birds come ashore
for the night at all times of the year. The localities favoured by this species when ashore are scrub and forest covered slopes facing the sea both on the mainland and on islands. Richdale
has noted them up to half a mile inland. They come ashore on both rocky and sandy beaches and
have been seen climbing a considerable distance up a loose sandy slope.
Where the yellow-eyed penguin has come into contact with European settlement it has suffered a considerable reduction in numbers. This is the case on the Otago Peninsular where a good deal of the forest has been cleared with the consequent destruction of the bird's breeding grounds.
For the birds on the Otago Peninsular, Richdale informs me that squid and small fish,
yellow-eyed mullet and red cod, have been identified by him as part of the food of the
yellow-eyed penguin.
The nests of the yellow-eyed penguin are generally placed in the
forest or scrub near the shore. The nests are placed singly, often under the shelter of a log,
are sometimes two are three feet across, and consist of sticks and coarse grass. Clutch two,
broadly ovoid, pointed, white eggs. According to Richdale, the birds come ashore in August and the main laying period is from the third week in September to the second week in October.
According to Richdale's account of the types of behaviour, the yellow-eyed penguin has various call notes which apparently include a good proportion of yelling.
