Birds · Suliformes · Phalacrocoracidae

European Shag

Phalacrocorax aristotelis

Least Concern

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

Unlike other seabirds, its plumage is not fully waterproof, which forces it back to land every day to dry its outstretched wings in the sun after each fishing trip.

Weight

1.6 kg – 2 kg

Size

65 cm – 80 cm

Lifespan

14 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

OceanCarnivore Diurnal Colonial Bird Ocean

39countries 5parks 2dive sites12same family

Fun facts

Its plumage is not fully waterproof, so it has to dry its wings in the sun after fishing.
It takes bottom-dwelling fish by diving actively, propelled by its feet.
It grows a black crest on its head only during the breeding season.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - pneumatised bony skeleton (bird)
Habitat & environment: Rocky coasts of the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean, generally in deeper water further offshore than other cormorants
Birth weight: Exact weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
Size at birth: Naked on hatching, growing brown down soon afterwards
Sexual maturity: 2-4 years
Gestation / incubation: 30-35 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 to 6 eggs per clutch (most commonly 3)

Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animal Diversity Web; Oiseaux-birds.com; SeaLifeBase; PMC (trophic mismatch study, genome sequence study); Animal Diversity Web (imperial shag comparativo)