Leucocarbo atriceps georgianus (Lonnberg, 1906)

Size and Sexual Dimorphism

This subspecies of imperial shag, Leucocarbo atriceps georgianus, has a total length of 70–79 cm (28–31 in) and weighs 1.8–3.5 kg (4.0–7.7 lb); males are typically larger than females.

Adult Plumage (Breeding)

Most of its body is covered in glossy black feathers, while its belly and neck are white.

Distinctive Facial and Body Features

It has a distinctive ring of blue skin around its eyes, an orange-yellow nasal knob, pinkish legs and feet, and an erectile black crest.

Non-breeding Adult Appearance

In the non-breeding season, adult birds lose their crest, have duller facial coloring, and have less or no white coloring on the back and wings.

Bill Adaptation

Its bill is serrated, an adaptation for catching fish.

Taxa Variation in Plumage

Different related taxa of this group primarily vary in the amount of white coloring on the cheeks, ear-coverts, wing-coverts, and back.

Plumage Variation in Specific Taxa

Most taxa have white cheeks and ear-coverts, but these areas are black in albiventer, purpurascens, and melanogenis.

Chick Appearance

Chicks are uniformly brownish.

Immature Bird Appearance

Immature birds have brown and white plumage instead of the adult's black and white, have dull facial skin, and lack the orange-yellow nasal knob and blue eye-ring.