Home   >>   Otago Holiday Activities   >>   Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony

Download contact details to your Address Book

Price Guide:     (Average price per person: $10 - $29)

Average Rating:   (4 votes) Rate It!

The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony is primarily a conservation area for blue penguins, the smallest penguin in the world, which naturally nest along the coastline of Oamaru, in the South Island of New Zealand. Blue penguins are the smallest of the world's 17 species of penguin. Standing just 25cm high and weighing 1 kilogram, they can be found around the coast of New Zealand and in Southern Australia.

All visitors to the colony will experience a fascinating eco-tourism environment, gain education and insight into the lives of the blue penguin and learn about our valuable conservation efforts. The number of penguins arriving at the colony each night varies throughout the year in accordance with the natural cycle of the penguins. There are usually penguins to see, but peak numbers occur from October to January when the penguins are raising chicks.

Evening Penguin Viewing
Blue Penguins return ashore each evening as it gets dark (dusk). Each evening our guides run an informative commentary just prior to the birds coming ashore. Learn about our history and conservation efforts, be intrigued by fascinating facts about the blue penguins and their unique traits and habits. Then sit back and enjoy the privileged opportunity to observe these special birds return home to their nests just a few metres in front of you!

Behind the Scenes Tours
In small groups, enter the colony breeding area, (not open to our evening only visitors), for a unique opportunity to learn more about what we do `behind the scenes' in our penguin colony. Learn more about our penguin monitoring programme and see penguins nesting in their nests in our unique penguin friendly viewing facility - the Blue Wing. (penguin viewing subject to penguins being resident).

Since it's beginning in 1993, the colony has observed very high breeding success with the peinguin colony population increasing from 33 to 120 breeding pairs and up to 200 birds arriving home each evening during the peak penguin season.

The Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony is the easiest place in New Zealand to view good numbers of Blue Penguins as we are located just 5 minutes drive from the centre of town. We encourage you to make us a must see on any visit to the South Island.

Reservations are recommended, especially over our peak summer season and school holidays.

View more Bird Watching Holiday Activities in Otago