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Phalacrocorax aristotelis
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| [Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note |
Phalacrocorax aristotelis:
The European Shag or Common Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis; corvo-marinho de crista) is a species of cormorant. It breeds around the rocky coasts of western and southern Europe, southwest Asia and north Africa, mainly wintering in its breeding range except for northernmost birds.
Description:
Medium-large black bird, 68-78 cm long and with a 95-110 cm (wingspan). It has a longish tail and yellow throat-patch. Adults have a small crest in the breeding season. It is distinguished from the Great Cormorant by its smaller size, lighter build, thinner bill, and, in breeding adults, by the crest and metallic green-tinged sheen on the feathers.
Habitat
It feeds in the sea and is rare inland. It will winter along any coast that is well-supplied with fish.
The European Shag is one of the deepest divers among the cormorant family. European Shags are preponderantly benthic feeders, i.e. they find their prey on the sea bottom. They will eat a wide range of fish but their commonest prey is the sand eel. Shags will travel many kilometres from their roosting sites in order to feed.
It breeds on coasts, nesting on rocky ledges or in crevices or small caves. The nests are untidy heaps of rotting seaweed or twigs cemented together by the bird's own guano. The nesting season is long, beginning in late February but some nests not starting until May or even later. Three eggs are laid. Their chicks hatch without down and so they rely totally on their parents for warmth, often for a period of two months before they can fly. Fledging may occur at any time from early June to late August, exceptionally to mid October.
(source Wikipedia) |
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Interesting group. I think the BG should be more focused.
Soracio
