Genetic monogamy mirrors social monogamy in the Fiordland crested penguin

Fiordland crested penguins (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus, henceforth tawaki) are restricted to the southwest coast of South Island, New Zealand where they n est in small isolated colonies of <25 pairs. Tawaki are socially monogamous and adults are philopatric: pair-bonds last some years, both resident adul ts participate in brooding and feeding of young, and birds regularly return to the same nest site or colony between years. To test whether tawaki are genetically as well as socially monogamous we assessed parentage in 24 fami lies using multilocus minisatellite DNA fingerprinting. The DNA profiles of chicks were directly attributable to the resident male and female. There w as no evidence supporting intraspecific brood parasitism or extra-pair fert ilisations, although maternal attribution of one chick was ambiguous. Socia l monogamy appears to indicate genetic monogamy in this species.