Little Black Shag

Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

The Little Black Shag is a member of the Phalacrocorax genus, which in other parts of the world is called cormorant. It is mostly a freshwater genus although has adapted to both freshwater and coastal environments. This species breeds in Australasia east of Borneo and Java across to New Caledonia and New Zealand.

The Little Black Shag was first reported in New Zealand in 1840 and numbers have steadily increased but this shag is still a less common sight in New Zealand - except for the years when more migrate from Australian waters. It is restricted mainly to the North Island, although stragglers can sometimes be seen wintering over in the South Island as far south as Southland. Its status is protected native.

Large colonies of Little Black Shags are mainly distributed across the northern half of the North Island on fresh water lakes, salt water lagoons and around the coastline.

The Little Black Shag is easily distinguished by its slender form and colour - which is all black with a slight green gloss. It is one of the smaller shags at only 61 centimetres, and has a long narrow black bill, green eyes and black feet. Their life span is up to 9 years.

There are between 1,000 and 5,000 breeding pairs in New Zealand.

The breeding season runs from October to December with a peak in November, but occasional autumn breeding has been noted.

They usually nest in trees overhanging fresh water, but sometimes will nest on the ground on islands, and will often be co existing with other shag species. The nest is a platform of sticks and grasses in which 2-5 pale blue green eggs are laid. Little is known about incubation or fledging periods, but it is known that parents will feed their babies by regurgitating fluid in a trough created by lower beak and throat pouch.

Little Black Shags mostly eat small fish, eels, bullies, whitebait and freshwater crayfish. They tend to feed in large flocks in a line of a hundred or more, reconnoitring from the air and diving - often in a frenzy of feeding. They catch most of their fish close to the surface by trapping and herding them. Dive times are short but there is usually little pause between dives. Some birds may be caught accidentally in fishing nets, however restrictions placed on both recreational and commercial set netting in 2008 will undoubtedly benefit this species.