Cormorants of New Zealand
12 cormorants recorded in New Zealand on the eBird network and profiled in the Birbs encyclopedia — the full list, with photos, sounds and ID notes, plus what's near you now.
12 cormorants have been recorded in New Zealand on eBird, the global citizen-science database run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and carry a full profile in the Birbs encyclopedia. Every bird below is a member of this group — the family Phalacrocoracidae. Start with the well-known species, browse the complete list, then check which are being reported near you right now.
See birds reported near you → Get rare-bird alerts
Cormorants of New Zealand to know first
Auckland ShagLeucocarbo colensoi
Australian Pied CormorantPhalacrocorax varius
Bounty ShagLeucocarbo ranfurlyi
Campbell ShagLeucocarbo campbelli
Chatham Islands ShagLeucocarbo onslowi
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
Little Black CormorantPhalacrocorax sulcirostris
Little Pied CormorantMicrocarbo melanoleucos
New Zealand King ShagLeucocarbo carunculatus
Pitt ShagPhalacrocorax featherstoni
Spotted ShagPhalacrocorax punctatus
Stewart Island ShagLeucocarbo chalconotus
Keep exploring
- Birds of New Zealand
- Petrels & Shearwaters of New Zealand (52 species)
- Sandpipers & Allies of New Zealand (42 species)
- Ducks, Geese & Swans of New Zealand (27 species)
- Gulls, Terns & Skimmers of New Zealand (27 species)
- Parrots, Cockatoos & Allies of New Zealand (23 species)
Species and counts come from the eBird network; "recorded" means reported by birders to eBird. Family grouping follows the IOC World Bird List. Tap any bird for its full profile.
Frequently asked questions
How many cormorants are found in New Zealand?
12 cormorants that we profile appear on New Zealand's eBird-reported checklist. The full A–Z list is on this page; the real total can shift as eBird records are added.
Are all of these cormorants really found there?
Yes — each one is on New Zealand's eBird checklist (reported by birders to the Cornell Lab's eBird), and each of these cormorants belongs to the family group named on this page. We don't rank them by abundance, because that varies by season and locale.
Where can I see cormorants in New Zealand right now?
Use Birds Near You for live, location-based reports, or turn on rare-bird alerts to hear when a notable one shows up close to you.