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Kōrero: Shags

Black shags with chicks

Image
Black shags with chicks

Some shag species build nests on rocky ground or cliff ledges; black shags more often nest in trees or bushes. The colonies are mostly small, with up to 20 nests, and are usually close to water. Both parents feed the chicks. This species is found around New Zealand from sea level to the subalpine zone, and feeds both in lakes and rivers and in sheltered saltwater environments, usually diving for food in water less than 3 metres deep.

Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi

Department of Conservation

Reference: 10048660

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Me pēnei te tohu i te whārang

Gerard Hutching, Shags – Black-footed shags, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/mi/photograph/5401/black-shags-with-chicks (accessed 1 July 2026).

He kōrero nā Gerard Hutching, i tāngia i te 2 March 2009.