# European Shag (*Gulosus aristotelis*) The European Shag is a sleek, dark bird that loves to dive into the water to catch fish. With its long neck and sharp beak, it is a great swimmer and can often be seen drying its wings on rocks after a swim. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** Shag ![European Shag](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Shag_Phalacrocorax_aristotelis.jpg&width=800) Photo: Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shag_Phalacrocorax_aristotelis.jpg) ## Appearance The European Shag has glossy green-black plumage and a distinctive crest of feathers on its head during breeding season. Its face features a yellow patch at the base of its slender, hooked bill, differentiating it from other dark seabirds. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Suliformes - **Family:** Phalacrocoracidae - **Genus:** Phalacrocorax ## Interesting facts - After diving, shags often perch with wings spread wide, looking like black crucifixes. - Shags swallow their fish headfirst to prevent scales and fins from getting stuck! - They build nests with seaweed, twigs, and even human rubbish like plastic. - Young shags make a unique croaking sound, very different from adult calls. ## Special abilities - **Underwater Propulsion:** European Shag has strong, webbed feet positioned at its rear, allowing them to power through water like torpedoes to chase fish. - **Fish Gripper:** European Shag has a strong, hooked bill perfect for grasping slippery fish, ensuring its catches don't escape underwater. - **Buoyancy Adjuster:** European Shag can squeeze air from its feathers and lungs, letting them control how deep they sink while hunting prey. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 65-80 cm - **Wingspan:** 90-110 cm - **Weight:** 1.5-2.2 kg - **Lifespan:** 10-15 years - **Speed:** 70 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 28-31 days ## Diet & Feeding These birds are expert underwater hunters, mainly eating small fish and some marine invertebrates. - **Primary Foods:** Ammodytes marinus, Sprattus sprattus, Trisopterus minutus, Pleuronectes platessa, Gobius paganellus - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Sandeel (*Ammodytes marinus*) — A primary food source for shags. - **Hunts:** Sprat (*Sprattus sprattus*) — An important small fish prey species. - **Eaten by:** [Great Black-backed Gull](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-black-backed-gull) (*Larus marinus*) — Preys on shag eggs and chicks. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Webbed Feet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/webbed-feet): Characterized by having toes connected by a membrane, typically aiding in swimming. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch birds from a distance and don't try to touch them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify European Shag? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is European Shag? 65-80 cm ### What is European Shag's wingspan? 90-110 cm ### How much does European Shag weigh? 1.5-2.2 kg ### How long does European Shag live? 10-15 years ### How fast can European Shag move? 70 km/h ### What does European Shag eat? These birds are expert underwater hunters, mainly eating small fish and some marine invertebrates. ### Where is European Shag usually found? Coastal areas ## Where to spot - [Cabo Peñas Protected Landscape](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cabo-penas-protected-landscape) — Principado de Asturias, ES · Park - [Cap d’Erquy–Cap Fréhel Grand Site](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cap-derquycap-frehel-grand-site) — Bretagne, FR · Park - [Tuscan Archipelago National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tuscan-archipelago-national-park) — IT · Park - [Galician Atlantic Islands National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/galician-atlantic-islands-national-park) — Rías Baixas, Galicia, ES · Park - [Bouches de Bonifacio Nature Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bouches-de-bonifacio-nature-reserve) — Corse, FR · Park - [Costa de Dexo Natural Monument](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/costa-de-dexo-natural-monument) — Galicia, ES · Park [View all places to see European Shag](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/european-shag) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [European Shag: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-shag)