Source: Department of Conservation
Date: 16 April 2025 Source: Department of Conservation and Marlborough District Council
“Boaties are not allowed to go within 100 m of king shag colonies under the district’s environment plan rules, to protect this endangered species which only breeds in the Marlborough Sounds,” DOC Ranger Dan Palmer says.
“King shags are famously skittish and tend to fly the nest when disturbed by a noisy boat, leaving their eggs and chicks vulnerable to predation by gulls.”
There are colonies on Sentinel Rock – a popular fishing spot – and at Trio Islands, Duffers Reef and White Rocks.
They’re often mistaken for common shags, but Dan says there are a few important differences.
“Unlike common shags, king shags won’t go near anyone with a fishing line and aren’t interested in scavenging, so they don’t tend to trouble boaties. King shags are also larger than their common shag cousins.”
Marlborough District Council Principal Coastal Scientist Oliver Wade says the taonga bird species was identified as needing specific protection through the development of the new Marlborough Environment Plan.
“The rules in the new environment plan identify the limited number of important breeding and roosting sites for the King Shag and put in place a 100 m exclusion zone that applies to any boating activity.
“Marlborough District Council and the Department of Conservation are committed to working together to care for this incredible species, which can dive up to 60m and is the deepest diving bird species in our region.”
Dan Palmer says king shags are under considerable pressure following challenging La Nina conditions in 2022-23.
“At last count, the overall number of birds was 614, having dropped by 25 per cent since 2021, although last year’s successful breeding season was a bright spot. Still, we’re going to continue to see La Nina knock-on effects in the breeding population over the coming years.
“The good news is we can help king shags by simply respectfully sharing space. They’re unique and special – and if they go from here, they’re gone from everywhere.
“Giving king shags the space they need creates a much safer environment for adults to protect their eggs and chicks, and gives king shags a fighting chance to grow a healthy, resilient population.”
Background information
The king shag is only found in the outer Marlborough Sounds. Because they have a small range and there are not many of them, even a single adverse event could impact most of the population.
A deep diving bird, they feed on bottom-dwelling fish species including lemon sole, opalfish and witch. Given their preferred prey, king shags depend on a healthy seafloor ecosystem.
Other threats include disturbance from human activity and bad weather events.
King shags breed in winter, making nests of sticks and seaweed cemented with guano on low rock platforms, steep rock faces, or rock ridges. Typically, they lay one to three pale blue eggs per nest.
Contact
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Email: media@doc.govt.nz
