The pied shag, or kāruhiruhi, is a striking black-and-white coastal bird often seen diving for fish along the Limestone Coast. With its long neck and sharp bill, it is a skilled hunter, pursuing prey underwater in estuaries, harbours, and nearshore waters.
Pied shags nest in colonies, often in trees close to the water or on rocky outcrops, building large stick nests that are reused year after year. While no survey has been completed, observations suggest their populations are slowly recovering after years of decline caused by habitat loss, human disturbance, and entanglement in fishing gear.
As a top coastal predator, the kāruhiruhi plays an important role in maintaining balance in marine and estuarine ecosystems.