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European Shag

Gulosus aristotelis

Least Concern (IUCN Red List)Cormorants and Shags
European Shag, photographed by Stergios Vasilis

Photo: Stergios Vasilis · iNaturalist · CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 (licence)

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Call and song

About the European Shag

Fairly common along seacoasts, nesting on steep cliffs; usually seen as singles or small groups, swimming or flying low over the sea. Does not occur on inland water bodies. Rather large, long-necked dark waterbird; feeds by diving and often leaps a little as it dives. Appreciably smaller and thinner necked than Great Cormorant, with more slender bill. Adult glossy black overall with narrow yellow throat patch; first-year dark smoky grayish overall, variably paler on throat and underparts. By spring, often develops faded pale panel on upperwing.

Species account: eBird.org, fetched 2025-12-26 · How these pages are made

Where it has been recorded

Recorded in 44 of the 253 countries we have eBird lists for. Each opens that country's checklist.

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