Head to head
Chatham Shag vs King Shag
Chatham Shag
VS King Shag
Both shags rank among the rarer members of the blue-eyed shag group, though their breeding sites and habits differ.
| Chatham Shag | King Shag | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Leucocarbo onslowi | Leucocarbo carunculatus |
| Range | The Chatham Islands | A single sound in New Zealand's South Island |
| Population size | Smaller than many relatives | Low hundreds, one of the rarest shags |
| Conservation status | Endangered | Vulnerable |
| Population trend | Decreasing | Stable |
| Migration | Not documented as migratory | Non-migratory, sedentary |
| Breeding display | Not documented as developing caruncles | Orange caruncles appear |
| Habitat | Ocean, coastal | Ocean, coastal |
Chatham Shag vs King Shag: common questions
Which one has the smaller total population?
The king shag has the smaller population, numbering only in the low hundreds, though the Chatham shag is also considered one of the rarer blue-eyed shag species.
Which one breeds on a mainland sound rather than an offshore island group?
The king shag breeds this way, confined to a single sheltered sound in New Zealand's South Island, unlike the Chatham shag, which breeds on the offshore Chatham Islands.
Which one has a declining population?
The Chatham shag has a declining population, classified as Endangered, while the king shag's numbers have remained relatively stable despite its very small total size.