Bounty shag
Leucocarbo ranfurlyi photographed on Proclamation Island, Bounty Islands.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Suliformes
Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Genus: Leucocarbo
Species:
L. ranfurlyi
Binomial name
Leucocarbo ranfurlyi
Synonyms

Phalacrocorax ranfurlyi

The Bounty shag (Leucocarbo ranfurlyi), also known as the Bounty Island shag, is a species of cormorant of the family Phalacrocoracidae. They are found only on the tiny and remote Subantarctic Bounty Islands, 670 km (420 mi) southeast of New Zealand. Its natural habitats are open seas and rocky shores. In 2022, a full Unmanned aerial vehicle survey of the Bounty archipelago found a total of 573 breeding pairs and estimates the population to consist of approximately 1,733 birds.[2] These recent estimates are consistent with the only other comparable study from 1978 [3] and suggest that the species' population has remained stable over the past 45 years.

Some taxonomic authorities, including the International Ornithologists' Union, place this species in the genus Leucocarbo. Others place it in the genus Phalacrocorax.

They construct nests on cliff ledges using brown seaweed, and breed during October, with chicks hatching from late November to early December.[4]

Description

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.

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.[2] 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.[1] The islands are uninhabited and are seldom visited, so human interference is minimal.

References

  1. 1 2 BirdLife International (2018). "Leucocarbo ranfurlyi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T22696876A133557244. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Mattern, Thomas; Pütz, Klemens; Mattern, Hannah; Houston, David; Long, Robin; Keys, Bianca; White, Jeff; Ellenberg, Ursula; Garcia-Borboroglu, Pablo (2023). "Accurate abundance estimation of cliff-breeding Bounty Island shags using drone-based 2D and 3D photogrammetry". Avian Conservation and Ecology. 18 (2). doi:10.5751/ace-02496-180206. ISSN 1712-6568.
  3. ↑ Robertson, C.J.R; van Tets, G.F. (1982). "The status of birds at the Bounty Islands". Notornis. 29 (4).
  4. ↑ Michaux, B. (2013). "Bounty Island shag". New Zealand Birds Online.
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