Penguins of the Coromandel
If you’ve ever walked along the Coromandel coastline at dusk and heard an unusual chattering sound coming from under a bach or from a cliff face, then it’s possible you’ve had an encounter with one of New Zealand’s favorite small animals, the kororā or little blue penguin.
The Coromandel Peninsula is one of the most northerly places in New Zealand where you can guarantee finding these birds living in their natural habitat. And they’re definitely worth knowing about.
Kororā Quick Facts
| Māori name | Kororā |
| English name | Little blue penguin / Little penguin |
| Scientific name | Eudyptula minor (means “good little diver”) |
| Height | 25–30 cm (about as tall as a ruler) |
| Weight | 1 kg (same as a bag of sugar) |
| Colour | Blue-grey back, white belly |
| Diet | Small fish, squid, tiny crustaceans |
| Lifespan | Average 7 years, up to 25 years |
| Active on land | Nocturnal — comes ashore after dark |
| Nesting season | May to December |
| Eggs per clutch | Usually 2 |
| Chick fledge time | Around 8 weeks |
| Swimming depth | Up to 20–30 metres |
| Conservation status | ⚠️ At Risk – Declining (NZ Dept of Conservation) |
| Found on Coromandel? | ✅ Yes — cliffs, beaches, and under baches. |
Who Are These Tiny Birds?
The little blue penguin, or kororā as it is known in te reo Māori, is the world’s smallest penguin. It stands at an incredible height of 25-30 cm and weighs about one kilogram, or about as much as a bag of sugar. To put that into perspective, an emperor penguin can weigh as much as 30 kg.
It’s also known as Eudyptula minor, or good little diver. And good little divers is exactly what these birds are. They spend their days swimming far out at sea, feeding on small fish, squid, and crustaceans, and returning to shore at night.
That’s right. Kororā are nocturnal birds. They come onto land at night and go back out to sea before dawn. So, if you want to see one of these incredible birds, your best bet is to get yourself to the coast at dusk and wait patiently.
Kororā on the Coromandel
The Coromandel Peninsula is also known to have many little blue penguin colonies. They can be spotted nesting in burrows on the beach, in crevices on steep cliffs, and yes, even under holiday homes and baches on the coast.
In fact, in the latter part of 2025, a Coromandel couple at Waitete Bay made the headlines when kororā started tunneling under their homes and nesting directly underneath the bedroom floor. The kororā are protected by law in New Zealand, which means the couple could not remove them without the assistance of a qualified expert and had to just wait out the nesting season.
It is a funny story, but it also tells us something very significant: the kororā are adaptable, bold birds and are definitely part of life on the Coromandel coast.
The best-known North Island kororā nesting sites are found in the Northland, Hauraki Gulf, and Coromandel districts. Because kororā tend to favor cooler waters, the Coromandel region is at the very northern edge of the birds’ comfortable range – which makes the nesting sites here very special indeed.
A Day in the Life of a Kororā
This is what a day in the life of one of these small birds looks like:
These birds leave their nesting site before dawn and head into the sea to look for food. They are excellent swimmers and use their flippers to swim through the water. They have been known to dive as low as 20-30 metres below the water’s surface. However, these birds prefer water that is not too deep.
In the evening, these birds waddle back onto their nesting site, sometimes going as far as 1.5 km from their nesting site. These birds always nest in the same burrows year after year.
These birds also breed during certain months of the year, from May to December. During this time, these birds always nest in pairs. The female lays two eggs, and both parents help incubate these eggs. The chicks leave the nest when they are eight weeks of age.
These birds also make quite a bit of noise. During nesting season, these birds call each other using braying and chattering noises. These birds have been known to keep people awake at night during nesting season. The birds’ call is used for communication and for recognizing their mate and territory.
Are They in Trouble?
Sadly, yes. The Department of Conservation currently classifies kororā as At Risk – Declining. Their numbers are falling in many parts of New Zealand, including the mainland.
| Threat | What It Means |
|---|---|
| 🐕 Dogs | The single biggest threat on land. Dog attacks kill penguins directly |
| 🐀 Predators | Cats, stoats, ferrets, rats and hedgehogs attack nests and kill chicks |
| 🏗️ Coastal development | Building along the coast destroys nesting habitat |
| 🚗 Roads & boats | Penguins are hit by cars crossing roads and killed in set nets |
| 🌊 Climate change | Warming seas push fish deeper, out of the penguins’ diving range — causing starvation |
In 2022, over 500 kororā were found dead on New Zealand beaches. The scientists said the birds died of starvation due to rising ocean temperatures. This used to happen once every decade. Climate change may cause this to happen more often.
What Can You Do?
The good news is that there are real, simple things you can do to help kororā — especially if you live on or visit the Coromandel coast.
| Action | Why It Helps |
|---|---|
| 🐕 Keep dogs on a lead near the coast | Dogs are the number one killer of kororā on land |
| 🔦 Don’t shine bright lights at them | Bright light disorients penguins coming ashore at night |
| 🤫 Give them space and stay quiet | Stress causes penguins to abandon nests |
| 🚫 Reduce plastic waste | Plastic ends up in the ocean and harms seabirds |
| 🏠 Block gaps under your home before breeding season | Redirects penguins to safer nesting spots |
| 🆘 Call DOC if you find an injured penguin | They are protected — only trained people can handle them |
Seeing Them in the Wild Seeing Them in the Wild
If you want to see kororā on the Coromandel, here are a few tips:
Go in the evening, at dusk, as that is when they are on land. Walk on quiet areas of the coastline where there is rocky shoreline and cliffs. Don’t get too close and avoid using bright torches on your phones. They won’t be on cue, so don’t worry. Just be quiet and be there at the right time.
Remember, seeing penguins on the Coromandel is a rare and special treat. The more north in New Zealand, the less kororā there are.
A Final Word
The kororā is a hardy little bird. It crosses roads, tunnels under homes, dives through cold waters, and climbs up rocky beaches every night of the year. It has been doing this for thousands of years on our coastlines. But it is going to need our help to get through what is coming next.
The next time you are on the Coromandel coast as the sun sets, keep your eyes and ears open. You might just spot a small blue bird waddling up the beach – one of the world’s smallest penguins on its way home.