Spotted Shag Phalacrocorax punctatus Scientific name definitions

64–74 cm; 700–1670 g; wingspan 91–99 cm. Short-tailed shag with long thin bill. Breeding adult has two obvious crests  of upcurved feathers, one on forecrown, other on nape, black with steel-blue gloss over crown, hindneck and back to uppertail-coverts; tail  duller blackish; mantle, scapulars and wings  olive-brown to shiny bronze-brown, each feather other than remiges displaying contrasting blackish spot at tip , these being tiny on greater coverts and outermost row of scapulars; underwing dull brownish; thin white superciliary above lores, becoming broad white stripe behind eye and broadest at rear head-sides, before running narrowly down neck to sides of chest, black on head-sides below superciliary to chin and upper foreneck, where grades into grey lower foreneck to belly, often with mauve-blue tinge, thighs and rear underparts glossy black like rump, and entire body can have scattered white filoplumes, usually longer and denser on thighs, rump and, especially, hindneck, but mostly lost soon after pairing, and crest also rapidly reduced or lost by time adults are brooding chicks, although forecrown looks rather bulging, black of head and neck become duller , with some paler brownish spotting especially on face, and white stripe on superciliary and neck-sides becomes mottled blackish. Iris blackish; facial skin lime green to turquoise, becoming sky blue with narrow blackish markings on eyering, bright sky blue at base of mandible and on gular pouch, thereafter duller greenish as breeding season advances; during courtship bill blackish with some brownish elements, often paler brownish horn at tip, with whitish spot at base of maxilla and a larger white band at base of mandible, becoming largely pale brownish or pale yellowish brown as breeding season progresses, with less white at base; legs yolk-yellow to pale yellowish brown. Sexes similar, perhaps differ in leg colour. Race oliveri  usually darker, white stripe  on head-sides tends to be narrower and gloss on rear body more greenish blue. Juvenile has earth-brown upperparts, darker brown on back to uppertail-coverts and thighs, mantle to upperwing-covert feathers plain or show dark dots at tips at close range, paler when worn, remiges and tail slightly darker grey-brown, and upperparts fade to pale earth-brown of foreneck, while becomes off-white on throat and rear face and brownish white on abdomen to undertail-coverts, sides of belly more brownish, iris blackish grey, bare facial skin pale brown, soon turning yellower, bill grey at first, soon acquiring pale yellowish brown tones, legs pale yellowish brown; next plumage similar but more shiny, upperparts with dull olive-green sheen, mantle to upperwing-coverts with dark dot at each feather tip, rear upperparts and thighs darker brown, greater contrast between darker upperparts and greyer underparts, rear underparts become dark; subsequently, more similar to non-breeding adult , with whitish on throat and rear face often one of last signs of immaturity. Unmistakable except with P. featherstoni, from which separated by paler plumage and presence of white stripe on neck-sides.

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Marine. Forages in fairly deep offshore waters, up to 16 km from coast, but also in bays, inlets and estuaries. Breeds on rocky coasts and inshore islands, often on cliffs. Uses offshore stacks, islands and breakwaters for roosting.

Mostly local movements, with dispersal along coasts in winter; birds breeding at Banks Peninsula (E South I) reach N tip of island in winter.

Very little known, but apparently fish, crustaceans and other invertebrates. Feeds mainly by pursuit-diving. Can form feeding flocks, sometimes numbering 1000s of birds.

Rather silent away from breeding area, but occasionally utters low-pitched grunts at resting or roosting sites, similar to calls on the nest. Male threat call is a loud “heurgh-hergh”. Also makes ticking sounds (1 Nelson, J. B. (2005). Pelicans, Cormorants and their relatives. Pelecanidae, Sulidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Fregatidae, Phaethontidae. Oxford University Press, New York. Close ). Young in nest beg incessantly using high-pitched screams, “krweee...krweee...krweee”.

Laying Sept–Nov in South I, but season longer in North I, with peaks in late Aug, Dec and Mar. Forms colonies of variable size. Nests on cliffs  , occupying ledges or cracks; nest  of seaweed  , built in c. 1 week. Mostly three eggs (1–4); incubation 28–35 days; chicks naked, grow grey down  ; fledging 57–71 days. Breeding success at Otago (SE South I) 54·4%, with mean two chicks fledged per nest in successful pairs. Sexual maturity at two years old.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Total population estimated at 60,000–150,000 birds in early 1980s; locally abundant in South I, e.g. 10,000 nests on Banks Peninsula in 1960s (2 Turbott, E. G. and Bell, B. D. (1995). A census of Spotted Shags (Stictocarbo punctatus punctatus) breeding on Banks Peninsula in 19611075. Notornis. 42: 197–202. Close ). Has suffered much persecution through shooting and destruction of colonies; numbers at Noises Is (North I) greatly reduced at beginning of 20th century by shooting. Some populations affected by disturbance associated with recreational boating and fishing; shooting continues in places.