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I visited 10 breeding sites across the range of Fiordland crested penguins (Eudyptes pachyrhynchus) in 1995. Based on the developmental stage of chicks at each of the sites, breeding begins progressively later in more northern colonies. Fiordland crested penguins had unusually high hatching success on Taumaka I. (Open Bay Islands) in 1995, and I suggest from anecdotal observations made at the nine other sites that 12% of pairs may have raised two chicks in that year. Together, these observations suggest that Fiordland crested penguins had an unusually good breeding season in 1995. The suggestion that rare “good” years occur, allowing two chicks to be raised, has implications for explanations of brood reduction in crested penguins.