Stewart Island Shag (Leucocarbo chalconotus)
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Stewart Island Shag

Leucocarbo chalconotus (Gray, GR, 1845)

70 cmLength2.2 kgWeight

The Stewart Island shag (Leucocarbo chalconotus; Māori: matapo) is a species of shag found on New Zealand's South Island and Stewart Island.

Busiest months: November–December · Most records: New Zealand

Vulnerable

Where and when it's recorded

Stewart Island Shag has been recorded at 20 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Taiaroa Head – Royal Albatross CentreNew Zealand1,032 records
  2. Foveaux StraitNew Zealand821 records
  3. Rakiura NP – Ulva IslandNew Zealand509 records
More places
  1. Aramoana Mole/Harbour EntranceNew Zealand457 records
  2. Taiaroa Head/Harbour EntranceNew Zealand451 records
  3. Stewart Island – Titi Islands PelagicNew Zealand352 records
  4. Stewart Island – Oban & Halfmoon BayNew Zealand311 records
  5. Katiki PointNew Zealand307 records
  6. Nugget PointNew Zealand276 records
  7. Stewart Island – east coast pelagic watersNew Zealand157 records

Countries and regions with the most records

New Zealand

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The Stewart Island shag (Leucocarbo chalconotus; Māori: matapo) is a species of shag found on New Zealand's South Island and Stewart Island. The Stewart Island shag has sometimes been split into two species, the Foveaux shag and the Otago shag.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Stewart Island Shag?

The Stewart Island Shag is about 70 cm long and weighs around 2.2 kg.

Where does the Stewart Island Shag live?

Its breeding range: Australasia: South and Stewart islands (New Zealand). It is most often recorded in New Zealand.

When is the best time to see the Stewart Island Shag?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November and December (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Stewart Island Shag endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Stewart Island Shag as Vulnerable.

What does the Stewart Island Shag eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Stewart Island Shag in?

It belongs to the family Cormorants, Shags (Phalacrocoracidae), order Suliformes.

At a glance

Length
70 cm
Weight
2.2 kg
Habitat
Ocean
Diet
Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle
On the water surface
Migration
Partial migrant
Conservation
Vulnerable
More measurements
Wing
283 mm
Tail
114 mm
Bill
66 mm
Tarsus
66 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Australasia: South and Stewart islands (New Zealand)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Cormorants, Shags Phalacrocoracidae
Genus
Leucocarbo

Other birds in the genus Leucocarbo

Rock ShagRock ShagLeucocarbo magellanicusGuanay CormorantGuanay CormorantLeucocarbo bougainvilliorumBounty ShagBounty ShagLeucocarbo ranfurlyiNew Zealand King ShagNew Zealand King ShagLeucocarbo carunculatusChatham Islands ShagChatham Islands ShagLeucocarbo onslowiAuckland ShagAuckland ShagLeucocarbo colensoiCampbell ShagCampbell ShagLeucocarbo campbelliImperial ShagImperial ShagLeucocarbo atricepsPygmy CormorantPygmy CormorantMicrocarbo pygmaeusReed CormorantReed CormorantMicrocarbo africanus
Stewart Island Shag

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Oscar Thomas. ↗

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