Bounty Islands Shag
Leucocarbo ranfurlyi
A large pink-footed marine shag endemic to the Bounty Islands and surrounding coastal seas. Adults are black above with a blue sheen, white below, with white patches on upper wings visible in flight. Slim hooked bill is a faded brown or pink. Orange-yellow skin at the base of bill and gape, circling the eye, brightens during breeding along with a red-orange gular pouch. A single crest is developed during breeding season. Juveniles have brown rather than black on the upperparts and pale facial skin. No other shags have been recorded on the Bounty Islands.
Identification
Size; 71 cm (28 in). Large, black-and-white cormorant. Black head, hind neck, lower back, rump, uppertail-coverts, all with metallic blue sheen. White underparts. Pink feet. White patches on wings appear as bar when folded. Caruncles absent. Voice: Male makes call during displays only.<p>IUCN classifies this species as Vulnerable because its very small population and breeding range renders it susceptible to stochastic events and human impacts. However, some data indicates that its population is presently stable. The Bounty Islands are a nature reserve and are free of introduced predators. In 1998, they were declared part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The islands are uninhabited and are seldom visited, so human interference is minimal.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Leucocarbo ranfurlyi
- Authority
- (Ogilvie-Grant, 1901)
- Order
- Suliformes
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Genus
- Leucocarbo
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
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