New Zealand police have been called to a sushi bar in the capital Wellington to remove a pair of little penguins.

Key points: The animals were pulled from under a fridge and "temporarily detained" before being released into Wellington Harbour

The animals were pulled from under a fridge and "temporarily detained" before being released into Wellington Harbour One of the birds had been intercepted by police several days earlier on a busy inner-city street

One of the birds had been intercepted by police several days earlier on a busy inner-city street Adult little penguins stand 25 centimetres tall and weigh 1 kilogram

It is believed the birds, described as "waddling vagrants" by local police, may have been attracted by the smell of fish in the food truck at Wellington's busiest train station.

The animals were pulled out from under a fridge and "temporarily detained" before being released into Wellington Harbour.

One of the penguins had been intercepted by police several days earlier as it took a Saturday night stroll down a busy inner-city street a couple of blocks from the harbour.

"Police responded and with some help from members of the public released the penguin, described as 'little and blue', back into the sea," police said.

Constable John Zhu got a quick selfie before the penguins were released back into Wellington Harbour. ( Facebook: Wellington District Police )

Jack Mace, of the Department of Conservation, said penguins had previously been found nesting under houses where they had "set up shop" with a mate.

"But certainly the busiest railway station in Wellington is an unusual one," he added.

"What they are looking for is a tight place that they can hide in and be safe from most of the predators that they would have faced."

Little penguins, also known as blue penguins and little blue penguins, are native to New Zealand. Adult birds stand about 25 centimetres tall and weigh about 1 kilogram.

Once common across New Zealand, they are now mainly found on smaller islands away from human settlement.