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Story: Shags

Little shag nesting

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Little shag nesting

The little shag has variable plumage; this is the white-throated form or morph. There are also pied-morph and intermediate-morph birds. Little shags nest in colonies near water, sometimes with other species of shag, or other water birds such as herons and spoonbills. They feed in both fresh water and salt water.

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Department of Conservation

Reference: 10030988

by L. J. Richards

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How to cite this page

Gerard Hutching, Shags – Black-footed shags, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/5406/little-shag-nesting (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Gerard Hutching, published 2 March 2009.