European Shag

A dark, marine bird and a slender relative of the Great Cormorant. It is a maritime species and is almost never found inland. It has glossy black plumage with a green sheen and a thin, hooked bill. In the breeding season, adults develop a forward-curving crest. They live along the rocky coasts of Western and Southern Europe.

Shags are pursuit-divers. They swim underwater to catch fish like sand eels. They are often seen standing on rocks, though they dry their wings less often than cormorants. They nest in loose colonies on steep sea cliffs. Their flight is low over the water with fast wingbeats. They are generally silent.