Male Penguins Build Nests And Steal From Neighbors As Females Sit On Eggs

Vienna, Austria – Female northern rockhopper penguins at Vienna's Schönbrunn Zoo spend more time sitting on the eggs, while males focus on building the nest and often steal material from the neighbors to do it, a new study has found.

The research by Schönbrunn Zoo and the University of Vienna, presented by the zoo in mid-October, is the first detailed look at how this species breeds in human care. The team filmed 13 rockhopper pairs for three months during the 2024 breeding season and then analyzed the footage.