Head to head
Bounty Shag vs Pitt Shag
Bounty Shag
VS Pitt Shag
Both shags breed in extremely restricted New Zealand subantarctic locations, but their nesting habitats and neighbours differ.
| Bounty Shag | Pitt Shag | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Leucocarbo ranfurlyi | Leucocarbo featherstoni |
| Range | The Bounty Islands only | The Chatham Islands group |
| Nesting substrate | Bare granite rock | Coastal cliffs and rock stacks |
| Neighbouring shag species | None sharing its island group | Shares its archipelago with the Chatham shag |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable | Endangered |
| Population trend | Stable | Decreasing |
| Blue eye-ring | Present | Present |
| Habitat | Ocean, coastal | Ocean, coastal |
Bounty Shag vs Pitt Shag: common questions
Which one nests on completely bare rock?
The Bounty shag does this, nesting directly on bare granite ledges since its breeding islands lack the soil and vegetation available to the Pitt shag on the Chatham Islands.
Which one shares its island group with another shag species?
The Pitt shag does this, breeding within the same Chatham Islands archipelago as the distinct Chatham shag, unlike the Bounty shag, which has its island group to itself.
Which one has the more secure population?
The Bounty shag has the more secure population, classified as Vulnerable and relatively stable, compared with the Pitt shag's Endangered status and declining numbers.