This seabird breeds around South Georgia. During a chick-rearing study on Bird Island, feeding trips involved diving, and males and females differed in the timing of their trips.
In breeding plumage, the upperparts are glossy black and the underparts and sides of the head are white, with blue eye-rings and pink feet. Non-breeding adults lack the crest, have smaller caruncles and duller, mostly grey-blue eye-rings. Juveniles have mainly brown upperparts and white underparts, without a crest or caruncles.
A chick-rearing study on Bird Island, South Georgia, recorded diving during feeding trips and different trip timing by males and females. The observations were limited to the chick-rearing period.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.