Imperial Shag

Leucocarbo atriceps (King, PP, 1828)

70–79 cmLength2 kgWeight

Busiest months: November · Most records: Argentina, Falkland Islands, Chile

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November · Most records: Argentina, Falkland Islands, Chile

Imperial Shag has been recorded at 35 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 4 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

Transbordador Pargua-ChacaoChile1,626 records
Punta LoyolaArgentina1,285 records
Cape PembrokeFalkland Islands1,013 records

More places

Canal BeagleArgentina882 records
Sea Lion IslandFalkland Islands787 records
Reserva Natural Urbana Bahía EncerradaArgentina748 records
MN Islotes de PuñihuilChile551 records
PN Tierra del Fuego ÁreaArgentina528 records
Desembocadura Río PipoArgentina449 records
QuillaipeChile312 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Argentina Falkland Islands Chile Uruguay

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 imperial shag or imperial cormorant (Leucocarbo atriceps) is a black-and-white cormorant native to southern South America, islands of the Subantarctic, and the Antarctic Peninsula, primarily in rocky coastal regions, but locally also at large inland lakes. Some taxonomic authorities, including the International Ornithologists' Union, place it in the genus Leucocarbo, others in the genus Phalacrocorax. It is also known as the blue-eyed shag, blue-eyed cormorant and by many other names, and is one of a larger group of cormorants called blue-eyed shags.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Imperial Shag?

The Imperial Shag is about 70–79 cm long and weighs around 2 kg.

Where does the Imperial Shag live?

Its breeding range: South America: coastal southern South America, Falkland Islands, South Georgia and nearby islands, Antarctic Peninsula, and subantarctic islands of the southern Indian Ocean and Macquarie Island (southwestern Pacific Ocean). It is most often recorded in Argentina, Falkland Islands and Chile.

When is the best time to see the Imperial Shag?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Imperial Shag endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Imperial Shag as Least Concern.

What does the Imperial Shag eat?

Main food: Fish, shrimp & shellfish.

What family is the Imperial Shag in?

It belongs to the family Cormorants, Shags (Phalacrocoracidae), order Suliformes.

At a glance

Length: 70–79 cm
Weight: 2 kg
Habitat: Ocean
Diet: Fish, shrimp & shellfish
Lifestyle: On the water surface
Migration: Partial migrant
Conservation: Least Concern

More measurements

Wing: 284 mm
Tail: 118 mm
Bill: 69 mm
Tarsus: 65 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

South America: coastal southern South America, Falkland Islands, South Georgia and nearby islands, Antarctic Peninsula, and subantarctic islands of the southern Indian Ocean and Macquarie Island (southwestern Pacific Ocean)

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2