Photo: Judi Lapsley Miller / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Chatham Islands Shag
Leucocarbo onslowi
Chatham Islands Shag (Leucocarbo onslowi) — 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 Chatham Islands Shag (Leucocarbo onslowi) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 2.1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Critically Endangered.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Suliformes
- Family Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants, Shags
- Genus Leucocarbo
- Species onslowi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.1 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Vulnerable
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Chatham Islands 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 Chatham Islands Shag is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Chatham Islands Shag (Leucocarbo onslowi) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family, within the order Suliformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Chatham Is. (e of South I., New Zealand).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 2.1 kg, with a wing length of about 25.9 cm and a tail of around 10.3 cm.
It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 7,234 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Chatham Islands Shag?
The Chatham Islands Shag is a very large bird that weighs around 2.1 kg.
Where does the Chatham Islands Shag live?
The Chatham Islands Shag is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Chatham Is. (e of South I., New Zealand), where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the Chatham Islands Shag belong to?
The Chatham Islands Shag (Leucocarbo onslowi) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Chatham Islands Shag eat?
The Chatham Islands Shag hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Chatham Islands Shag migrate?
The Chatham Islands Shag is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Chatham Islands Shag endangered?
It is classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Critically Endangered is the highest risk category before extinction in the wild.
What sound does the Chatham Islands Shag make?
1 real field recording of the Chatham Islands 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 Chatham Islands Shag's range?
The Chatham Islands Shag has a mapped global range of about 7,234 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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