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32-554: The two rivers are named from a Māori myth; the two branches were a husband and wife named Koau and Matau respectively. The point where the two waters flow into one another was known as Wai-hakirara, literally singing waters, because of the happiness of their meeting. The name Matau is likely a corruption of the name Mata-au, meaning eddying currents, which is the Māori language name for the Clutha River overall. The name Koau possibly relates to

64-405: A recovery period of 10–15 seconds between dives although this is dependent on depth. The birds feed in deep and shallow waters (although shallow habitats are more productive) with flock densities in proportion to the prey abundance. Hunting is typically performed as individuals (potentially to avoid kleptoparasitism ), although larger groups can be observed when schools of small fish are close to

96-522: A wingspan of 110–130 cm. A small yellow patch between the bill and the eye on each side of the head is likely to have been the reason for the historical common name. It has large webbed feet which it utilises to pursue fish underwater, steering with half opened wings. The bird has a large hooked bill, green eyes with a blue eye ring and black legs and feet. The eyes have a special nictitating membrane for underwater protection. The pied cormorant can often be seen spreading its wings after diving to help dry

128-426: Is endemic to coastal regions of southern Australia. Like other cormorant species, the black-faced cormorant is a large aquatic bird, with a long hooked bill, webbed feet, and monochromatic plumage. This is one of the largest cormorants found in south-western Australia and has pied plumage with the upper half of its body black and the undersides white. Its face is naked and black, hence the "black-faced" name, and

160-652: Is 'secure' and only changes to 'near threatened' in Victoria. It can be found in all states except Tasmania. The pied cormorant has been calculated to be at high-moderate risk from fishing – particularly from set and inshore drift nets. Birds in colonies can often be observed entangled in recreational fishing line with hooks embedded in the body. In the past, the pied cormorant was seen as competition for commercial fishing and sometimes shot. Although typically found in marine habitat—sometimes solitary, sometimes in pairs, sometimes in vast flocks of hundreds or thousands—it

192-527: Is a medium-sized member of the cormorant family. It is found around the coasts of Australasia . In New Zealand, it is usually known either as the pied shag or by its Māori name of kāruhiruhi . Older sources may refer to it as the "yellow-faced cormorant". The Australian pied cormorant was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus 's Systema Naturae . He placed it in

224-913: Is also attracted to inland waters, including lakes, deep and open wetlands, and rivers. In Australia, the birds can often be found at inland waterways while in New Zealand it prefers coastal areas close to its prey. Adult birds are sedentary and can often be seen roosting in trees, on rocks or logs in the water. The birds seem unaffected by variable salinity, turbidity and shoreline vegetation provided there are available perches. The pied cormorant appears to feed largely (90%) on benthic fish 6–15 cm in length from waters less than 10m deep. King George Whiting juveniles are known to be eaten. Other dietary components (10%) are made up of crustaceans such as prawns and shrimp with some molluscs and cephalopods. It will dive both in shallow, still water and in rapidly moving currents. Typical dive times are around 40 seconds, with

256-405: Is an exclusively marine bird, its behaviours enable it to be well-adapted to its environment. It uses pursuit-diving to capture fish, and nests high on cliffs to avoid predators. The black-faced cormorant eats fish almost exclusively. Its diet generally consists of benthic or demersal fish, as well as some cephalopods , and varies between breeding and non-breeding seasons. It forages along

288-607: Is consumed whole, and non-digestible parts are regurgitated in pellets. Breeding cormorants nest in pairs or breeding colonies on islands or cliffs. They are likely monogamous like other cormorant species. Nesting sites are on bare rocks, often close to water, and are solidly built of driftwood, seaweed, and other plants with a 35–45 cm diameter. 2 to 3 elongated oval eggs are then laid. The eggs are pale blue-green and measure 58 x 36 mm. The breeding season for black-faced cormorants varies between populations, and has been observed to occur anywhere from June to February. In

320-521: Is distributed across Western Australia , South Australia , Victoria and Tasmania , particularly in the Bass Strait and Spencer Gulf . There are two independent populations: one on the southern coast of Western Australia, and the other on the coasts of Southern Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. Unlike the other cormorants found around the Australian continent, the habitat of the black-faced cormorant

352-402: Is exclusively coastal and marine . They can be found in coastal waters, inlets , rocky shores, and offshore islands. Occasionally black-faced cormorants can be found in estuaries of rivers. Colonies are usually found on steep cliffs and rocky islands where they nest. In the winter, black-faced cormorants leave coastal waters to breed in these colonies. Because the black-faced cormorant

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384-457: Is predominantly southeast throughout its course, the Koau turns initially westward, flowing past the southern edge of Balclutha. After 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) its path turns to the southeast, in which direction it flows for the remainder of its 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) length. The settlements of Finegand and Otanomomo lie close to its western (mainland) shore. There are several small islands in

416-550: The genus Pelecanus and coined the binomial name Pelecanus varius . Gmelin based his description on the "pied shag" from Queen Charlotte Sound , New Zealand, that had been described in 1785 by English ornithologist John Latham in his book A General Synopsis of Birds . Latham had based his own description on a specimen in the Leverian Museum and on a watercolour by Georg Forster that belonged to Joseph Banks . Forster had accompanied James Cook on his second voyage to

448-470: The moojar (WA Christmas tree) before being carried by easterly winds or flowing waters to the sea where the spirit joins with the medi for its journey to Kurranup . Black-faced cormorant Stictocarbo fuscescens The black-faced cormorant ( Phalacrocorax fuscescens ), also known as the black-faced shag , is a medium-sized member of the cormorant family. Upperparts, including facial skin and bill, are black, with white underparts. It

480-726: The Bass Strait, the black-faced cormorant breeds from June to September, with a peak laying date around the end of July. The reason for this may be to avoid hot summer temperatures that can affect chicks. However, colonies in western and southern Australia breed later in the year, from September to February. Black-faced cormorants are considered 'Least Concern' by the IUCN , due to their large range and populations. In Australia, they are considered 'Secure' federally as well as in South Australia, Western Australia, and Tasmania. However, in Victoria,

512-476: The IUCN red list of threatened species, reflecting its large range with a relatively stable population. In New Zealand its range on the east coast extends as far south as Christchurch , though this is a recent extension—older books report it no further south than Kaikōura . The range extensions have accompanied population recovery from heavy persecution in the early 1900s and likely represents recolonization of

544-454: The Koau, the largest of which is Shaws Island, a 500-metre (550 yd) long islet surrounded by a stream which is slowly becoming an oxbow. 46°14′40″S 169°45′20″E  /  46.24444°S 169.75556°E  / -46.24444; 169.75556 Phalacrocorax varius Stictocarbo varius The Australian pied cormorant ( Phalacrocorax varius ), also known as the pied cormorant , pied shag , or great pied cormorant ,

576-534: The Old-Word cormorants Phalacrocorax. This genus diverged from its sister genus, the North-Pacific Cormorants Urile around 10 million years ago. The closest related species to the black-faced cormorant is the pied cormorant P. varius . Black-faced cormorants are endemic to the coastal regions of southern Australia and Tasmania. The population is estimated to in the tens of thousands, and

608-626: The Pacific Ocean . The Australian pied cormorant is now one of 12 species placed in the genus Phalacrocorax that was introduced in 1760 by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson . Two subspecies are recognised: The pied cormorant is predominantly black on its back and upper surface of the wings and white on the underside with males weighing approximately 2.2 kg and females 1.7 kg. It stands between 65–85 cm tall, with

640-439: The coast and at the mouths of rivers, and will dive up to 12 m to catch its prey. After diving, the black-faced cormorant will spread its wings to dry its feathers in the sun. Black-faced cormorants will occasionally forage together in flocks. While breeding, its preferred prey items are wrasse and silver trevally . After the breeding season, silverbelly , wrasse, whiting and hardyheads are consumed most frequently. Prey

672-422: The feathers, as it has inadequate waterproofing. This lack of feather waterproofing may help the cormorant spend longer underwater due to decreased buoyancy effects. The two subspecies have slight differences in physical characteristics. Similar species include the black-faced cormorant (slightly smaller) and the little pied cormorant (substantially smaller). The pied cormorant is listed of least concern in

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704-401: The female will hiss when approached. [REDACTED] The black-faced cormorant is one of around 40 species in the cormorant and shag family Phalacrocoracidae . This family split off from the darter family Anhingadae over 40 million years ago, so it has a relatively independent evolutionary history. Of the suggested 7 genera in the cormorant family, the black-faced cormorant is part of

736-421: The field. In general, males are larger and more robust than females, who are more slender in comparison. Males also have larger bills than females, with male bills measuring greater than 77 millimeters and female bills less than 76 mm. Black-faced cormorants are usually silent when away from the breeding colony. However, when they are at their nests, the male will emit a loud honk or guttural croak, and

768-496: The formation of fine white streaks along the neck during breeding until eggs are laid. Juveniles have dark-brown upper feathers, including dark ear coverts and a dark face, with a lighter underside streaked with brown. Following the Juvenile plumage, black-faced cormorants have immature plumage which are similar to adult plumage. Black-faced cormorants have very subtle sexual dimorphism , making it difficult to differentiate sexes in

800-438: The former range. The pied cormorant is listed as Nationally Vulnerable in New Zealand. The population has been growing from around 700 breeding pairs in the 1950s to an estimated 3,000 pairs post 2000 (Refer to population trend data). In Australia it is only moderately common in the eastern states (both the coast and inland wetlands), but abundant in the south-west, particularly along the coast. Its federal conservation status

832-549: The ground or in trees. Males collect most of the nest material, while both sexes share construction tasks. The nests are used twice a year in Autumn and Spring by different breeding pairs. Some breeding occurs in summer and winter by young and inexperienced pairs. Monogamous breeding pairs (from 2 years of age) lay eggs once a year with an average breeding cycle of 6 months. Clutch size ranges from 2–5 with an incubation period of 25–33 days. Egg and fledgling caring duties are shared by

864-493: The parents. Chick rearing can take from 47–60 days with independence gained just over 3 months of age. Both sexes share feeding duties through incomplete regurgitation. Banding studies have shown that the pied cormorants do not travel far from their colonies (<20 km). Flight is generally low in altitude, as the pied cormorant has weaker flight capability than other species in the family, with 'v' formations present when in flocks. The Noongar Aboriginal people who live in

896-505: The pied shag Phalacrocorax varius , for which a Māori name is koau . Both branches of the Clutha are prone to flooding, and have meandering courses. Both have also formed numerous oxbow lakes . The Matau is considerably more wandering, hence its greater length of 26 kilometres (16 mi). The town of Kaitangata lies on the eastern (mainland) bank of the Matau. Whereas the path of the Matau

928-433: The sea (or food source). Courtship behaviour is initiated by the male in close proximity to a future nest site. Wing waving by the male is conducted in silence while gargling can be a form of female recognition. The males can also hop up to 1 m in the air with both feet to attract female attention. Nests are typically large platforms formed of sticks and foliage cemented with droppings averaging 80 cm in diameter on

960-476: The south-west corner of Western Australia believe that the pied cormorant ( medi ) is responsible for the transport of souls of the deceased across and beneath the Western sea to their final resting place ( Kurannup ). Medi can be translated as 'agent', or 'medium', possibly referring to the bird's role as an intermediary between the living world and the afterlife. Spirits of the deceased rest for an unspecified time on

992-579: The surface. Risk of predation by sharks and the abundance of food comprise a trade-off where the pied cormorant may choose to hunt in deeper waters where prey is less abundant if the risk is too high during warmer months when sharks are present more often. The deeper waters however require longer dive times and corresponding longer times at rest between dives on the surface. The pied cormorant preferably breeds in small (<30 pairs) sheltered colonies (harbours, estuaries and lakes) with rarer occurrences on exposed coasts or islands, no more than 400 metres from

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1024-482: The tail, feet, and thighs are also black. The back feathers are glossy, and its bill is dark grey with a prominent hook at the tip. It has blue-green eyes. When flying, it holds its head level or lower than its body and holds its wings in a cross-shape like most cormorants. Species that are similar in appearance include the pied cormorant (slightly larger) and the little pied cormorant (slightly smaller). The breeding and non-breeding plumages are very similar, with

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