Birds · Suliformes · Phalacrocoracidae

Rock Shag

Leucocarbo magellanicus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The rock shag, or Magellanic cormorant, is a small, slender cormorant of the Fuegian channels and southern Patagonia, black with a white belly and an intensely red patch of bare skin on the face during the breeding season. It breeds in small colonies on cliff ledges and fishes in shallow water among the kelp forests.

Weight

1.2 kg – 1.8 kg

Size

66 cm – 71 cm

Lifespan

15 years

Diet

Carnivore

Feeds mainly on other animals.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

OceanPolarIslandsCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Ocean Polar Islands

2countries 1parks 1dive sites12same family

Fun facts

Its bare face turns an intense red in the breeding season, a striking contrast with the black and white of its plumage that has given it local names referring to a mask.
It fishes among the giant kelp forests of the Fuegian channels, a three-dimensional environment in which it chases small fish between the fronds.
It shares colonies with the imperial shag at several points in Patagonia, the two species occupying different ledges of the same cliff.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Rocky coasts, channels and fjords of southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego
Sexual maturity: 3 years
Gestation / incubation: 30 days of incubation
Litter / clutch size: 3 eggs

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/