Photo: Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Spotted Shag
Phalacrocorax punctatus
Spotted Shag (Phalacrocorax punctatus) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Spotted Shag (Phalacrocorax punctatus) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 1.2 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Suliformes
- Family Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants, Shags
- Genus Phalacrocorax
- Species punctatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.2 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Spotted Shag hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The Spotted Shag is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Spotted Shag (Phalacrocorax punctatus) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family of the order Suliformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU coastal North, South and Stewart is. (New Zealand).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.2 kg, with a wing length of about 24.1 cm and a tail of around 9.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 85,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Spotted Shag?
The Spotted Shag is a very large bird that weighs around 1.2 kg.
Where does the Spotted Shag live?
The Spotted Shag is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU coastal North, South and Stewart is. (New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Spotted Shag belong to?
The Spotted Shag (Phalacrocorax punctatus) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Spotted Shag eat?
The Spotted Shag hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Spotted Shag migrate?
The Spotted Shag is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Spotted Shag endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Spotted Shag make?
1 real field recording of the Spotted Shag — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Spotted Shag's range?
The Spotted Shag has a mapped global range of about 85,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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