VU
Rough-faced Shag Leucocarbo carunculatus



Taxonomy

Taxonomic note
Following Kennedy and Spencer (2014) the genus Phalacrocorax has been divided into seven genera, with P. magellanicus, P. bougainvilliorum, P. atriceps, P. verrucosus, P. carunculatus, P. chalconotus, P. onslowi, P. campbelli, P. ranfurlyi and P. colensoi moved into Leucocarbo (HBW and BirdLife International 2018). In past, often considered to include L. chalconotus and L. onslowi; these three were sometimes treated as conspecific with P. campbelli complex (campbelli, ranfurlyi and colensoi). Monotypic.

Taxonomic source(s)
Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International. 2018. Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Version 3. Available at: https://datazone.birdlife.org/userfiles/file/Species/Taxonomy/HBW-BirdLife_Checklist_v3_Nov18.zip.

IUCN Red List criteria met and history
Red List criteria met
Critically Endangered Endangered Vulnerable
- - D1

Red List history
Year Category Criteria
2023 Vulnerable D1
2018 Vulnerable D1+2
2016 Vulnerable D1+2
2012 Vulnerable D1+2
2010 Vulnerable D1; D2
2008 Vulnerable D1; D2
2005 Vulnerable
2004 Vulnerable
2000 Vulnerable
1996 Vulnerable
1994 Vulnerable
1988 Threatened
Species attributes

Migratory status not a migrant Forest dependency does not normally occur in forest
Land-mass type Average mass -
Range

Estimate Data quality
Extent of Occurrence (breeding/resident) 960 km2 medium
Extent of Occurrence (non-breeding) 1,800 km2 medium
Area of Occupancy (breeding/resident) 56 km2 medium
Severely fragmented? no -
Population
Estimate Data quality Derivation Year of estimate
Population size 250-999 mature individuals good estimated 2020
Population trend stable good estimated -
Generation length 9.26 years - - -
Number of subpopulations 1 - - -
Percentage of mature individuals in largest subpopulation 100% - - -

Population justification: Surveys between 1992 and 2002 indicate a population of c.645 birds, including 102-126 breeding pairs (Schuckard 2006). Aerial surveys in 2015 recorded 839 birds in February 2015 and 187 breeding pairs in June 2015 (Schuckard et al. 2015). Improvements of survey methods are the predominant reason to explain perceived differences in numbers with earlier surveys. Robertson et al. (2021), assessing the species according to criteria elucidated in Townsend et al. (2008), placed its population in the band 250-1,000 mature individuals. In 2020, the population was estimated to number c.300 breeding pairs (Robertson et al. 2021). Hence, a population of 250-999 mature individuals is assigned here. This equates to 375-1,499 individuals in total, rounded here to 350-1,500 individuals.

Trend justification: The population trend is believed to have been stable over the last 50 years (Schuckard 1994, 1998, 2002; Robertson et al. 2021).


Country/territory distribution
Country/Territory Presence Origin Resident Breeding visitor Non-breeding visitor Passage migrant
New Zealand extant native yes

Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA)
Country/Territory IBA Name
New Zealand Duffer's Reef
New Zealand Marlborough Sounds
New Zealand Rahuinui Island
New Zealand Sentinel Rock
New Zealand Tawhitinui Bay
New Zealand Tekuru Kuru
New Zealand Trio Islands
New Zealand White Rocks

Habitats & altitude
Habitat (level 1) Habitat (level 2) Importance Occurrence
Marine Coastal/Supratidal Sea Cliffs and Rocky Offshore Islands major resident
Marine Neritic Pelagic major resident
Marine Oceanic Epipelagic (0-200m) major resident
Altitude 0 - 50 m Occasional altitudinal limits  

Threats & impact
Threat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses
Biological resource use Fishing & harvesting aquatic resources - Unintentional effects: (subsistence/small scale) [harvest] Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Rapid Declines Medium Impact: 7
Stresses
Species mortality
Biological resource use Hunting & trapping terrestrial animals - Persecution/control Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Species mortality
Climate change & severe weather Storms & flooding Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 4
Stresses
Reduced reproductive success
Human intrusions & disturbance Recreational activities Timing Scope Severity Impact
Ongoing Majority (50-90%) Negligible declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Species disturbance, Reduced reproductive success
Pollution Industrial & military effluents - Oil spills Timing Scope Severity Impact
Future Majority (50-90%) Rapid Declines Low Impact: 5
Stresses
Ecosystem degradation, Reduced reproductive success, Species mortality

Utilisation
Purpose Scale
Food - human subsistence, national
Handicrafts, jewellery, etc. international
Pets/display animals, horticulture international

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Species factsheet: Rough-faced Shag Leucocarbo carunculatus. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/rough-faced-shag-leucocarbo-carunculatus on 22/11/2024.
Recommended citation for factsheets for more than one species: BirdLife International (2024) IUCN Red List for birds. Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/search on 22/11/2024.