Rockhopper penguins are the smallest of the crested penguins and the most widespread. They are found on islands near the Antarctic polar front to those near the subtropical convergence in
the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
There are three sub species, all recorded in the
New Zealand region; western rockhopper, chrysocome and Moseley’s rockhopper
moseleyi; the eastern rockhoppers,
filholi, breed on the Antipodes, Auckland and Campbell Islands.