Abstract

The globally population decline of Southern Rockhopper penguins does considered this species as vulnerable. However, in the Diego Ramirez archipelago (southern Chile) during the recent years the breeding population has been increased. We describe the nesting of Southern Rockhopper penguins in two sub-colonies of recent conformation in Gonzalo Island, Diego Ramirez. Variables such as sub-colony size and location of the nest within this not explain the hatching success of eggs and survival of chicks. The nesting population of Southern Rockhopper penguin in Gonzalo Island has a pattern of expansion in its colony, explained by a local increase in population abundance and protection generated by the vegetation coverage as tussock for their nests, which acting as an forming expansive colonial frontier.