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4

European Shag

(Phalacrocorax aristotelis)
Alternate name(s): "Common Shag", "Shag"
German name(s): "Krähenscharbe"

Size: 68-78 cm; wing span 90-110 cm
Weight: 1.6-1.75 kg

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See European Shag at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "aristotelis"

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile European Shag (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Land's End, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Race "desmarestii"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Lateral view of a European Shag in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Papoa, near Cape Carvoeiro, Peniche, Portugal, January 2023]

Lateral comparison of a European Shag in breeding plumage with a Red Phalarope in non-breeding plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Papoa, near Cape Carvoeiro, Peniche, Portugal, January 2023]

Lateral view of a European Shag in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, April 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a European Shag in breeding plumage in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Cabo Raso, Cascais, near Lisbon, Portugal, April 2018]

NON-BREEDING

Comparison between European Shags, centre to left, mostly in non-breeding plumage, with two Great Cormorants, right
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal]

Lateral view of a European Shag in non-breeding plumage in flight, wings up (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alhos Vedros, Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2020]

Lateral view of a European Shag in non-breeding plumage in flight, wings down (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Alhos Vedros, Tejo estuary, Portugal, July 2020]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Near-frontal view of an immature European Shag; the yellowish base of the bill, without a pale-orange mark under the bill, is characteristic of this species; note also the light-grey front and the prominent light tips of the wing coverts characteristic of immature birds of the Mediterranean race "desmarestii" (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Cala Gonone, eastern Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]

Near-lateral view of an immature European Shag (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Cala Gonone, eastern Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]

Near-lateral view of an immature European Shag drying its plumage (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Cala Gonone, eastern Sardinia, Italy, June 2016]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile European Shag (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile European Shag (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile European Shag going for a dive (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal, October 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile European Shag (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Land's End, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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