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European Shag
(Phalacrocorax aristotelis)
: "Common Shag", "Shag"
German name(s): "Krähenscharbe"
Size: 68-78 cm; wing span 90-110 cm
Weight: 1.6-1.75 kg
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Similar species |
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Physical description |
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Click here for a physical description
European Shags are medium-sized, slightly built cormorants.
The body plumage
of adults
is all-black. During the
breeding season
they have an erectile crest on the forehead. The front can have
a glossy-green sheen, while the upperwings are less glossy and
show some signs of scalloping.
In eclipse
the crest is much less conspicuous and the chin is light-grey.
In flight the neck is held straight
and both neck and body are visibly slimmer than in other, similar
species of cormorants.
The eyes are bluish. The legs and feet are dark-grey.
Adults have a dark bill with a yellowish base.
Immature
and juvenile European Shags have a light-grey bill with
a yellow base, often also a yellowish tinge on the lower
mandible. Only in nuptial flushis the bill dark.
Immature
European Shags have a conspicuous light-grey front, from
chin to undertail coverts, with a wide, slightly darker band
across the chest. The head and the back are brownish-grey,
which prominent scalloping on the upperwing coverts. The
legs and feet are pinkish-grey, turning darker-grey with age.
Juveniles
are brownish-grey all over, with a lighter shade of
brownish-grey on the front than the back.
At all ages, across all races, European Shags have a bill with a
yellow base, which distinguishes them from other, similar
species of cormorants.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See European
Shag at Wikipedia .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
.
The global distribution of the European Shag is available
HERE
.
There are 3 races of European Shags, which are a partially
migratory species.
European Shags are marine cormorants that are found as
both permanent residents and as winter visitors around
much of the coastal fringe of the Mediterranean Sea and
the Black Sea, including basically the entire coastline
of Asia Minor. They are also present along large parts
of the Atlantic coastline from north-western Africa to
central Scandinavia, including the British Isles (in
particular coastlines facing West and North-west).
They are also found on many Mediterranean islands and
on the West coast of Iceland.
While the two races
"aristotelis" and
"desmarestii" are European,
race "riggenbachi" populates the north-western African
coastline.
Part of the population is migratory, extending their
breeding range beyond the Arctic circle in summer, all
along the northern coastal fringe of Scandinavia.
In Europe European Shags are found along the Mediterranean and
Atlantic coastlines.
Nominate race
"aristotelis"
is found in north-western Europe, along the Atlantic Ocean coastlines.
Race
"desmarestii"
is present in southern Europe and Asia Minor, around the Mediterranean and
Black Sea coastlines.
European Shags have a strong preference for rocky coastlines,
especially those facing West to North-west (which are exposed
to the fearce storms coming off the Atlantic Ocean).
They are always found in saline water.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "aristotelis"
M. Eaton found a European Shag, race
"aristotelis",
at Land's End, Cornwall, England, in September 2019.
Race "desmarestii"
D. Wilczynska reports spotting European Shags, race
"desmarestii",
on the coastline of eastern Sardinia, near Cala Gonone, Italy, in June 2016.
J. Pires reports spotting European Shags, race
"desmarestii",
occasionally along the coastline of southern to central Portugal.
H. Dahlem-Senger found European Shags, race
"desmarestii",
in Lisbon, Portugal, in November 2019.
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Photos |
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Race "aristotelis"
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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Near-dorsal view of a juvenile European Shag
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Land's End, Cornwall, England, September 2019]
Race "desmarestii"
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ADULT |
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BREEDING |
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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]
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NON-BREEDING |
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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]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
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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.