Leucocarbo onslowi
The Chatham Shag, *Leucocarbo onslowi*, is a striking and highly endemic seabird, confined exclusively to New Zealand's remote Chatham Islands archipelago. Adults boast a sleek, glossy black plumage on their upperparts, contrasting sharply with brilliant white underparts and distinctive white thigh patches. During the breeding season, they exhibit a short, shaggy crest, vibrant yellow-orange facial skin, and a captivating sky-blue eye-ring, which dulls to a pale grey outside of breeding. Meas...
Exclusively coastal, inhabiting rocky shores, cliffs, and inshore marine waters of the Chatham Islands, typically at sea level.
Primarily piscivorous, feeding on small to medium-sized inshore fish species and occasionally marine invertebrates, captured through pursuit diving.
Chatham Shags are diurnal and highly social, forming dense breeding colonies on inaccessible cliff ledges and rocky islets, and communal roosts outside the breeding season. They are expert pursuit divers, propelling themselves underwater using powerful webbed feet to chase down prey, often spendi...
The Chatham Shag is strictly endemic to the Chatham Islands archipelago, located approximately 800 kilometers east of mainland New Zealand. Its entire breeding and non-breeding range is confined to the coastal waters, rocky shores, and offshore islets of this small island group. Breeding colonies...
Endangered
- The Chatham Shag is one of the world's rarest and most restricted seabirds, found only on New Zealand's Chatham Islands. - Its population hovers around 1,000-1,200 mature individuals, making its conservation status critically important. - The species is famously distinguished by its brilliant s...