This marine shag is found only in the Auckland Islands. It has black-and-white plumage and pale pink feet; in breeding season it develops a head crest and red facial skin and throat pouch.
The head and neck are glossy black with a green-blue sheen, the underparts are white, and the feet are pale pink. The white on the throat varies from a separate chin patch to a white strip connecting the chin to the breast. Breeding birds have a black crest, a magenta-pink eye-ring, red facial skin, and a red-orange to purple throat pouch.
It feeds in shallow seas and sheltered inlets, taking fish, squid, marine snails, and sea urchins. It may forage offshore as well.
It builds a large flattened bowl nest from twigs, tussock, seaweed, and other material. Both sexes share incubation for about 28 days and care for the chicks.
The iris is light brown, and the hooked bill tip is pale pink.
Juveniles have brown facial skin and upperparts.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.