Photo: Auckland War Memorial Museum / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Vulnerable

Seabirds & Tubenoses

Bounty Shag

Leucocarbo ranfurlyi

Bounty Shag (Leucocarbo ranfurlyi) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Australia & Oceania.

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The Bounty Shag (Leucocarbo ranfurlyi) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 2.5 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Vulnerable.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

VU Vulnerable

Facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Suliformes
Family Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants, Shags
Genus Leucocarbo
Species ranfurlyi

Where it lives

Bounty Is. (east of Stewart I., New Zealand)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 2.5 kg
Diet: Aquatic hunters
Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Order: Suliformes
Habitat: Wetland, lake & coast

How to identify

Similar birds

Vulnerable

Bank Cormorant

Phalacrocorax neglectus

Critically Endangered

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Bounty 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 Bounty Shag is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

The Bounty Shag (Leucocarbo ranfurlyi) is a species of bird in the Phalacrocoracidae family, part of the order Suliformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Bounty Is. (e of Stewart I., New Zealand).

It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.5 kg, with a wing length of about 26.2 cm and a tail of around 11.5 cm.

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2,064 km² — a relatively restricted global range.

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Bounty Shag?

The Bounty Shag is a very large bird that weighs around 2.5 kg.

Where does the Bounty Shag live?

The Bounty Shag is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Bounty Is. (e of Stewart I., New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.

What family does the Bounty Shag belong to?

The Bounty Shag (Leucocarbo ranfurlyi) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family, in the order Suliformes.

What does the Bounty Shag eat?

The Bounty Shag hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.

Does the Bounty Shag migrate?

The Bounty Shag is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.

Is the Bounty Shag endangered?

It is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Vulnerable species face a high risk of extinction in the wild if pressures continue.

How large is the Bounty Shag's range?

The Bounty Shag has a mapped global range of about 2,064 km².