Black-billed pied shag

[Colin Miskelly]

Kia ora

Peter Freisen has supplied the following image of a pied shag, taken at Mangawhai Estuary, and was curious about its very dark beak.

While it is dark, there are several images on NZ Birds Online of birds approaching this colouration (http://www.nzbirdsonline.org.nz/species/pied-shag), and they are all birds with very brightly coloured facial skin.

I suspect that this is a temporary condition that some or all birds attain when they are in peak pre-nuptial colouration, but have found no mention of it in field guides and handbooks.

Has anyone else noticed this, or is anyone interested and able to monitor the colouration of a nesting pair through the early stages of breeding?

Nga mihi nui
Colin

[Paul Scofield]

Just a thought

The unrecognised Western Australian ssp. perthi appears to have a darker bill

https://davesgarden.com/guides/birdfiles/showimage/4234/#b

http://www.new-jersey-birds.com/2009/06/pied-cormorant-and-australian-pelican_18.html

P

[Colin Miskelly]

Thanks Paul

Those are brightly coloured birds also, so again it would be useful to know if they are like this year-round

Hopefully there are Australian members of this forum who can ask the same question on relevant forums there

Regards
Colin