Physical Description:
               Erect-Crested penguins are 26 inches tall and weigh about 10 pounds.  Their crests are short, stiff, and  yellow. 

Habitat:
               Erect-Crested penguins live on the Sub-Antarctic islands.  They stay at sea half of the year.  Then they come together in very big rookeries.  There are millions of Erect-Crested penguins in just one rookery.  There is much fighting in the crowded rookeries. 

Nests, eggs, and chicks:
               Erect-Crested penguins build nests on very high, rocky hills.  Nests are built from pebbles or twigs.  The penguins may spend a whole month fighting and nest building, before laying eggs.  Erect-Crested penguins lay 2 eggs.  Only one egg will hatch into a chick.  Males and females take turns incubating the egg and eating.  When the chick hatches, the male does not eat.  His job is to protect the chick from the cold and enemies.  The females bring food to the chicks, but not to the males.  When the chicks leave their nests and form crèches, both of the parents gather food.  At 10 weeks old the chicks are ready to be on their own and go to sea for food.

Diet:
               The Erect-Crested penguins eat squid and krill.

Enemies:
              Skua gulls like to eat penguin eggs and chicks.

Interesting facts:
               The penguins who are too young to have chicks, hang around and get in the way at the rookery.  They are called "hoodlums."  The Erect-Crested penguin is said to be the blackest of all the penguins.  They will attack humans who get too close.