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From 13 to 17 August 1990, we surveyed from Doubtful to Milford Sounds, Fiordland, for Fiordland Crested Penguins. Minimum total estimates were 65 nests and 283 penguins. Proper counts were not made at a few sites and some small breeding groups were probably missed, but we are confident that all major breeding sites in the survey area were located. These penguins breed primarily in small isolated colonies on islands, or in small caves on the mainland coastline. The largest breeding site in the survey area was on the Shelter Islands, at the entrance to Doubtful Sound. Most nests were in dugouts under trees or on small ledges under rocky overhangs. A few penguins were breeding on islands up to 30 km from the open sea. We tentatively propose that there are less than 1000 nests for the species annually.