New Zealand King Shag Leucocarbo carunculatus Scientific name definitions

76 cm; c. 2500–2655 g. Short-tailed, large-billed and rather long-headed pied shag with almost all-black head and noticeable but not very prominent yellowish caruncles on sides of forehead; head is crestless or has just a hint of crest on crown. Breeding adult  has head and upperparts including outer sides of thighs black with green to bluish gloss, may have some hair-like white filoplumes, upperwing with less bright greenish sheen, variable number of white lesser coverts forming bar near leading edge of wing  , sometimes with white on outer scapulars as well, usually a white patch on central back that may be much reduced to two smaller patches; tail duller black; underwing  blackish; chin, central throat to foreneck and entire underparts white ; short crest on crown, often held flat and lost in non-breeding season  . Iris dark; yellowish carcuncles  on sides of forehead, bare blackish-grey skin on lores, at base of mandible and sides of gular pouch, eyering rather dull blue, becoming duller in non-breeding season; bill greyish to flesh-horn, often duskier on culmen; legs rather dull pink. Sexes similar. Juvenile  much as adult in overall pattern but dark grey-brown rather than glossy black, looks mottled when worn due to much paler tips to more pointed scapulars and upperwing-coverts, pale bar on wing ill-defined and less white, lacks caruncles and has dull flesh to brownish facial skin, more yellowish flesh to pinkish on gape, base of mandible and gular pouch; subsequent immatures  intermediate, with dark areas rather plain but duller and marginally browner than adults  , with small or no caruncles, greyer facial skin and usually less well-defined white bar on wing and outer scapulars. Looks long-headed and comparatively large-billed; just slightly larger than very similar L. chalconotus, from which adult differs by larger and often thicker-looking bill, and especially by more conspicuous caruncles, bare skin at base of mandible and on gular pouch duller; other largely black-headed pied shags have brighter facial skin or at least more prominent caruncles and more extensively black sides to upper neck; juveniles best separated by size and structure.

Alternatively placed in Phalacrocorax or Euleucocarbo, but classification here follows results of a comprehensive molecular phylogeny for the entire family (1 Kennedy, M. and Spencer, H.G. (2014). Classification of the cormorants of the world. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 79: 249–257. Close ). In past, often considered to include L. chalconotus and L. onslowi; these three were sometimes treated as conspecific with L. campbelli complex (campbelli, ranfurlyi and colensoi). Monotypic.

Restricted to area of Cook Strait (New Zealand), breeding in Marlborough Sounds region of NE South I: on White Rocks, Sentinel Rock, Duffers Reef, Trio Is, and Rahuinui I (off D’Urville I). Formerly bred on D’Urville Peninsula (EC D’Urville I) and on nearby Tekuru Kuru I.

Marine. Forages in waters close to coast, in sheltered inlets and bays. Breeds on rocky islets and stacks, occupying flat ground or steep slopes. Roosts on bare rocks .

Sedentary. Very occasionally recorded elsewhere on South I, away from Cook Strait.

Probably benthic fish and crustaceans. Feeds mainly by pursuit-diving. Sometimes forms small feeding flocks.

Usually silent away from breeding colonies. At nest, loud, guttural calls “ergh...ergh” of male and throat fluttering can be heard.

Mainly Mar–Dec, laying frequently in Jun/Jul; season varies between years and at different colonies; on occasions birds may apparently breed twice in same year; breeding cycle lasts c. 5 months. Forms colonies of up to 80 pairs. Nests on rocks, sometimes under shelter of bushes; on occasions only 1 m above high-tide mark, but usually higher; nest  of twigs and grass, cemented together by excreta; nest can be reused. Probably 1–3 eggs  , normally two; chicks naked, grow smoky brown down  .

VULNERABLE. Global population perhaps does not exceed 700 individuals. Between 1992 and 2002, the four main colonies in the outer Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, were surveyed ten times. Additional information was gathered at two smaller colonies off D’Urville I. The mean total population was estimated at 645 birds, with 92% at Duffers Reef, Trio Is, Sentinel Rock and White Rocks, including 102–126 breeding pairs, with annual recruitment of 40–68 birds (2 Schuckard, R. (2006). Population status of the New Zealand king shag (Leucocarbo carunculatus). Notornis. 53(3): 297-307. Close ). A survey of the entire 1500 km coastline of the Marlborough Sounds in Sept–Dec 2006 located nine breeding colonies, including two new sites. The total population was estimated at 687 birds, similar to the mean estimate for 1992–2002. The four largest colonies supported 85% of all birds recorded (3 Bell, M. (2010). Numbers and distribution of New Zealand king shag (Leucocarbo carunculatus) colonies in the Marlborough Sounds, September-December 21451456. Notornis. 57(1): 33–36. Close ). Surveys prior to 1992 may have included just c. 40% of the population, because most counts seem to have occurred during the middle of the day when significant numbers were absent feeding. If historic counts at colonies are adjusted for birds absent feeding, numbers appear to have been stable for at least the past 50 years—and possibly more than 100 years—which would suggest a long-term balance between recruitment and mortality (2 Schuckard, R. (2006). Population status of the New Zealand king shag (Leucocarbo carunculatus). Notornis. 53(3): 297-307. Close ). The species has suffered in the past from some egg-collecting for museums and some hunting for the feather trade, as well as more recent persecution by fishermen. It is highly susceptible to disturbance by humans. Protection commenced in 1924, and nowadays both the species and its breeding islands are strictly protected.