Shag Island

Shag Island, Australia

Shag Island is a low island in Spencer Gulf, South Australia, located at the mouth of Fisherman Bay. It is approximately 22 hectares in area and has a peak elevation of approximately 4 metres. It is unoccupied by people, but it is home to thousands of cormorants who roost and breed there. It also serves as an important fish nursery. The finding of numerous sick and dead cormorants at Fisherman Bay in April 2013 sparked widespread worry about the Shag Island colony’s health. Great cormorant, tiny black cormorant, pied cormorant, little pied cormorant, red-necked stint, sharp-tailed sandpiper, red-capped plover, banded stilt, bar-tailed godwit, grey plover, common greenshank, and masked lapwing have all been seen on Shag Island.