Hoons

Moulting penguin - photo courtesy of David Monniaux

When does disturbance at nest sites and during moult cause problems?

What disturbance are these hoons causing the penguin in this You Tube clip?

A hoon’s point of view

Yellow-eyed penguins moult for 3 to 4 weeks.

During this time they can't go out to sea to feed. Their body is entirely focussed on making new feathers. They stand, defenceless until they have dropped their old feathers and the new ones have grown.