Leucocarbo
14 species
Leucocarbo is a genus of birds in the family Phalacrocoracidae with the members commonly known as blue-eyed shags. This is a group of closely related cormorant taxa. Many have a blue, purple or red ring around the eye (not a blue iris); other shared features are white underparts (at least in some individuals) and pink feet.
They are found around the colder parts of the Southern Hemisphere, especially near southern South America, Antarctica, and New Zealand. Many are endemic to remote islands. Determining which types are species and which are subspecies of what larger species is problematic; various recent authorities have recognized from 8 to 14 species and have placed them in a variety of genera. The common names are even more confusing, "like myriad footprints criss-crossing in the snow and about as easy to disentangle." Only one common name is given for most species here.
- Rock shag, Leucocarbo magellanicus
- Guanay cormorant, Leucocarbo bougainvillii
- Bounty shag, Leucocarbo ranfurlyi
- New Zealand king shag or rough-faced shag, Leucocarbo carunculatus
- Chatham shag, Leucocarbo onslowi
- Otago shag, Leucocarbo chalconotus
- Foveaux shag, Leucocarbo stewarti
- Auckland shag, Leucocarbo colensoi
- Campbell shag, Leucocarbo campbelli
- Imperial shag or blue-eyed shag, Leucocarbo atriceps
- South Georgia shag, Leucocarbo georgianus
- Crozet shag, Leucocarbo melanogenis
- Antarctic shag, Leucocarbo bransfieldensis
- Kerguelen shag, Leucocarbo verrucosus
- Heard Island shag, Leucocarbo nivalis
- Macquarie shag, Leucocarbo purpurascens
Leucocarbo is thought to be the sister genus to the American cormorants in the genus Nannopterum, from which it split between 6.7 - 8.0 million years ago.
Leucocarbo is a genus of birds in the family Phalacrocoracidae with the members commonly known as blue-eyed shags. This is a group of closely related cormorant taxa. Many have a blue, purple or red ring around the eye (not a blue iris); other shared features are white underparts (at least in some individuals) and pink feet.
They are found around the colder parts of the Southern Hemisphere, especially near southern South America, Antarctica, and New Zealand. Many are endemic to remote islands. Determining which types are species and which are subspecies of what larger species is problematic; various recent authorities have recognized from 8 to 14 species and have placed them in a variety of genera. The common names are even more confusing, "like myriad footprints criss-crossing in the snow and about as easy to disentangle." Only one common name is given for most species here.
- Rock shag, Leucocarbo magellanicus
- Guanay cormorant, Leucocarbo bougainvillii
- Bounty shag, Leucocarbo ranfurlyi
- New Zealand king shag or rough-faced shag, Leucocarbo carunculatus
- Chatham shag, Leucocarbo onslowi
- Otago shag, Leucocarbo chalconotus
- Foveaux shag, Leucocarbo stewarti
- Auckland shag, Leucocarbo colensoi
- Campbell shag, Leucocarbo campbelli
- Imperial shag or blue-eyed shag, Leucocarbo atriceps
- South Georgia shag, Leucocarbo georgianus
- Crozet shag, Leucocarbo melanogenis
- Antarctic shag, Leucocarbo bransfieldensis
- Kerguelen shag, Leucocarbo verrucosus
- Heard Island shag, Leucocarbo nivalis
- Macquarie shag, Leucocarbo purpurascens
Leucocarbo is thought to be the sister genus to the American cormorants in the genus Nannopterum, from which it split between 6.7 - 8.0 million years ago.