European Shag
Gulosus aristotelis
Unlike many water birds, their feathers are not fully waterproof, which helps them dive deeper by reducing buoyancy, but requires them to 'sun-dry' their wings after fishing.
- Scientific name
- Gulosus aristotelis
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Aves › Suliformes › Phalacrocoracidae › Gulosus
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- aquatic
- Habitat
- Rocky coastal shores, sea cliffs, and marine waters.
- Diet
- Small fish, particularly sand eels, sprats, and young herring.
- Range
- United Kingdom, Norway, Spain, Greece, Iceland, North Africa
- Size
- 65-80 cm long, 1.5-2.2 kg weight, 90-105 cm wingspan.
- Lifespan
- 12-15 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Oil spills, entanglement in fishing gear (bycatch), and fluctuations in prey fish stocks due to climate change.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans but may defend its nest with its sharp beak. Maintain a respectful distance of at least 10 meters, especially during breeding season on rocky cliffs. If bitten, clean the wound thoroughly with soap and water and monitor for infection.
The European shag or common shag ( Gulosus aristotelis ) is a species of cormorant. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Gulosus . It breeds around the rocky coasts of western and southern Europe, southwest Asia and north Africa, mainly wintering in its breeding range except for the northernmost birds. In Britain this seabird is usually referred to as simply the shag . The scientific genus name derives from the Latin for glutton. The species name aristotelis ...
Photo: Tony, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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