Station 09

The shag

This "corvo mariño", or shag, (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) can be identified by its black plumage, in which the yellow colour of the corners of its beak stands out. The Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) also lives here, also with black plumage but with white tones on the throat and with a featherless area on the jaws that reaches almost to the eyes. Particularly characteristic of the shag is the crest that gives it its name, which rises from its forehead during courtship.

Where to see it?

It flies frequently over the sea, as it is a good fisherman, feeding mainly on fish, but also on molluscs. Among the cormorants, the shag is one of the best divers, being able to dive to depths of 45 metres. It can also travel long distances in search of food.

During the breeding season it usually forms colonies, building nests in shelters in the rock, not very close to each other, using seaweed, leaves and branches for the base and grass or feathers on the inside. Breeding colonies are noisy, with constant hoarse and guttural sounds.


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