Bird Album
European Shag
Gulosus aristotelis (Linnaeus, 1761)
1.8 kgWeight
The European shag or common shag (Gulosus aristotelis) is a species of cormorant.
Busiest months: October · Most records: United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal
Where and when it's recorded
European Shag has been recorded at 381 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 32 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- PN Sintra-Cascais – Cabo RasoPortugal2,511 records
- GirdlenessUnited Kingdom1,765 records
- PN Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina – Cabo de São VicentePortugal1,548 records
More places
- Bempton Cliffs RSPB ReserveUnited Kingdom1,508 records
- Estaca de Bares – Observatorio de aves y entornoSpain1,378 records
- Portland BillUnited Kingdom1,358 records
- Calf of ManIsle of Man1,301 records
- Marismas de Santoña, Victoria y Joyel PNat – Puerto de SantoñaSpain1,286 records
- St Mary'sUnited Kingdom1,166 records
- Teesside South GareUnited Kingdom1,149 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
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.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the European Shag?
The European Shag weighs around 1.8 kg.
Where does the European Shag live?
Its breeding range: Palearctic, Africa: coastal eastern North Atlantic and Mediterranean. It is most often recorded in United Kingdom, Spain and Portugal.
When is the best time to see the European Shag?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in October (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the European Shag endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the European Shag as Least Concern.
What does the European Shag eat?
Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.
What family is the European Shag in?
It belongs to the family Cormorants, Shags (Phalacrocoracidae), order Suliformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 1.8 kg
- Habitat
- Ocean
- Diet
- Fish, shrimp & shellfish
- Lifestyle
- On the water surface
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 263 mm
- Tail
- 140 mm
- Bill
- 66 mm
- Tarsus
- 62 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Palearctic, Africa: coastal eastern North Atlantic and Mediterranean
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Suliformes
- Family
- Cormorants, Shags Phalacrocoracidae
- Genus
- Gulosus
More from the family Cormorants, Shags
Pygmy CormorantMicrocarbo pygmaeus
Reed CormorantMicrocarbo africanus
Crowned CormorantMicrocarbo coronatus
Little CormorantMicrocarbo niger
Little Pied CormorantMicrocarbo melanoleucos
Red-legged CormorantPoikilocarbo gaimardi
Brandt's CormorantUrile penicillatus
Red-faced CormorantUrile urile
Pelagic CormorantUrile pelagicus
Bank CormorantPhalacrocorax neglectus
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Diego González Dopico. ↗
Heard it but can't see it? Mingji identifies birds by sound and photo, on your phone.