Equally as beautiful as the spotted shag, this representative of the shags in the Chatham Group was discovered by H.H. Travers in 1871. Buller dedicated the species to Dr Featherston, Superintendent of the Province of Wellington at that time.
Apparently never a common species, it was reported as nearly extinct in 1905. The Department of Conservation does have a Recovery Plan for this bird.
Members of the shag family belong to three groups, based on the colour of their feet: black, yellow or pink. Outside New Zealand, the black-footed shags are better known as cormorants. The Pitt Island shag belongs to the yellow footed group.
