Penguins are the main attraction in the Falkland Islands. Five penguin species are found here: Gentoo, King, Magellanic, Southern Rockhopper, and some Macaroni penguins. Each species has unique habits. 

The Falklands have the largest Gentoo penguin population in the world. Magellanic penguins, also known as “Jackass” penguins due to their donkey-like braying call, nest in burrows near the coast during the summer. 

The islands are home to the largest King penguin colony, outside of Antarctica, at Volunteer Point, with around 1,300 adults and 400 chicks each year.

Penguin watching is easy and popular. Gentoo and Magellanic penguins can be seen just outside Stanley at Gypsy Cove, Yorke Bay and Rookery Bay.

Rockhoppers can be spotted at Kidney Cove, parts of Pebble, Carcass and Bleaker Island

Volunteer Point, which is accessible by 4×4, is often the highlight for photographers. Guided tours are available specifically for penguin watching. Wherever you go, you’ll hear the honks and brays of penguins in the spring and summer months, as they are everywhere on the islands.