About the Stewart Island Shag
The Stewart Island shag is a species of shag found on New Zealand's South Island and Stewart Island. The Stewart Island shag has sometimes been split into two species, the Foveaux shag and the Otago shag.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The species is dimorphic, with two plumages. Roughly one quarter of the individuals are pied, with dark and white feathers, and the rest, known as bronze shags, are dark all over. Both morphs breed together. These large, chunky birds are about 70 cm long and weigh about 2–3 kg. Stewart Island shags vary in their facial ornamentation in the breeding season. Roughly half of breeding individuals have dark orange papillae on their face, while the other half have small bright orange caruncles above the base of the bill instead.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in November · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
New Zealand King ShagLeucocarbo carunculatusIt is a large (76 cm long, 2.5 kg in weight) black and white cormorant with pink feet.
Auckland ShagLeucocarbo colensoiThe Auckland shag or Auckland Islands shag is a species of cormorant from New Zealand.
Chatham ShagLeucocarbo onslowiAn adult Chatham Islands shag is 63 cm (25 in) in length and weighs around 1,790–2,400 g (63–85 oz).
Learn the Stewart Island Shag for real
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