Wildlife
The Lagoon, by a spectacular white sand beach, is home to 1,000 breeding pairs of Gentoo Penguins. There is a small breeding colony of King Penguins, and our King Penguin chicks bred at the Lagoon have reached maturity. Magellanic Penguins visit from their nesting burrow's on nearby East Island. Occasionally Rockhopper and Macaroni Penguins come to moult later in the season. Skuas, gulls, Turkey Vultures and Snowy Sheathbills hang around the rookery, hoping to take eggs or chicks from unwary penguins. Upland Geese, Ruddy-headed Geese, Magellanic Oystercatchers, Giant Petrels, Logger Ducks and many other birds nest nearby. Southern Sea lions from East Island sometimes patrol the beach hunting young penguins. We have the occasional visiting Elephant Seal. Peale’s and Commersons’s Dolphins like playing in the surf. Further down the beach there is a colony of Kelp Gulls, with Dolphin Gulls and South American Terns nesting amongst them. Around the café are lots of smaller breeding birds including Two-banded Plovers, Black-throated Finches and White-rumped Sandpipers, scuttling in amongst the sea cabbage.
Wildlife Checklist
- Gentoo Penguin
- King Penguin
- Magellanic Penguin
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Macaroni Penguin
- Peale's Dolphin
- Commerson's Dolphin
- Southern Sea Lion
- Upland Goose
- Ruddy-headed Goose
- Falkland Skua
- Turkey Vulture
- Kelp Goose
- Logger Duck
- Patagonian Crested Duck
- Giant Petrel
- Kelp Gull
- Dolphin Gull
- South American Tern
- Magellanic Oystercatcher
- Two-banded Plover
- Rufous-chested Dotterel
- White-rumped Sandpiper
- Black Throated Finch
- Long Tailed Meadowlark
- Ground Tyrant
- Sedge Wren
- Night Heron
- Cocoi Heron
- Falkland Thrush
- Magellanic Snipe
- Red-backed Hawk
- Crested Caracara
