Antarctica (B), Argentina, Australia (B), Chile, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), French Southern Territories (B), Heard Island and McDonald Islands, South Africa (B), South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (B).
Vagrant to Uruguay (NB).
Population
Estimated population is 340,000 - 1,400,000 (2010).
Subspecies
Subspecies albiventer formerly considered a distinct species. Some authors also included Crozet Shag (Phalacrocorax melanogenis), Kerguelen Shag (Leucocarbo verrucosus) and Phalacrocorax purpurascens within Phalacrocorax albiventer.
Antarctic Shag (Phalacrocorax bransfieldensis), South Georgia Shag (Phalacrocorax georgianus) and Phalacrocorax nivalis are frequently considered to be included in Crozet Shag (Phalacrocorax melanogenis).
Phalacrocorax atriceps (Turbott 1990) includes bransfieldensis, verrucosus and georgianuscontra Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993). BirdLife International has not currently split this species.
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
BirdLife International Species Factsheet