This species is mostly marine, especially is western Australia, but occupies a variety of water bodies both offshore, on the coast and inland. Fish comprise roughly 90% of the body and weight of its diet, but it will also feed on crustaceans, including prawns, shrimps and crabs, and a few molluscs and cephalopods. It feeds exclusively by pursuit-diving and often forms feeding flocks at sea. Its breeding season varies considerably with region and year depending on local conditions, generally forming colonies in a variety of habitats. Adults are basically sedentary, with juveniles performing fairly extensive dispersal (del Hoyo et al. 1992)

This species is found exclusively on Australia and New Zealand, wintering along the whole coast and inland in both countries. It breeding exclusively on the north island of New Zealand, with scattering breeding site, mostly coastal, in Australia (del Hoyo et al. 1992).