Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Pitt Shag
Phalacrocorax featherstoni
Pitt Shag (Phalacrocorax featherstoni) — 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 Pitt Shag (Phalacrocorax featherstoni) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 1 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Endangered.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Suliformes
- Family Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants, Shags
- Genus Phalacrocorax
- Species featherstoni
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Endangered
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pitt 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 Pitt Shag is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Pitt Shag (Phalacrocorax featherstoni) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family of 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 1 kg, with a wing length of about 21.9 cm and a tail of around 9.1 cm.
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern. Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 12,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pitt Shag?
The Pitt Shag is a very large bird that weighs around 1 kg.
Where does the Pitt Shag live?
The Pitt 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 Pitt Shag belong to?
The Pitt Shag (Phalacrocorax featherstoni) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the Pitt Shag eat?
The Pitt Shag hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the Pitt Shag migrate?
The Pitt Shag is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Pitt Shag endangered?
It is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List and is a focus of conservation concern Endangered species face a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
What sound does the Pitt Shag make?
1 real field recording of the Pitt 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 Pitt Shag's range?
The Pitt Shag has a mapped global range of about 12,000 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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