Photo: Andreas Trepte / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
European Shag
Gulosus aristotelis
European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis) — Seabirds & Tubenoses of Europe & Northern Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family found in Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 1.8 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Suliformes
- Family Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants, Shags
- Genus Gulosus
- Species aristotelis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.8 kg
- Diet
- Aquatic hunters
- Family
- Phalacrocoracidae
- Order
- Suliformes
- Habitat
- Wetland, lake & coast
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The European Shag hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Behaviour
A bird of open sea and coastal waters, it swims and feeds in and around water.
Migration
The European Shag is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis) is a member of the Phalacrocoracidae family, within the order Suliformes. It is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL, AF coastal e North Atlantic and Mediterranean.
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.8 kg, with a wing length of about 26.3 cm and a tail of around 14 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 230,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the European Shag?
The European Shag is a very large bird that weighs around 1.8 kg.
Where does the European Shag live?
The European Shag is found across Africa and Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL, AF coastal e North Atlantic and Mediterranean, where it is associated with wetlands, lakes and other open water.
What family does the European Shag belong to?
The European Shag (Gulosus aristotelis) belongs to the Phalacrocoracidae family, in the order Suliformes.
What does the European Shag eat?
The European Shag hunts aquatic prey such as fish and aquatic invertebrates.
Does the European Shag migrate?
The European Shag is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the European Shag endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the European Shag make?
1 real field recording of the European Shag — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the European Shag's range?
The European Shag has a mapped global range of about 230,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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