Shags are large, dark waterbirds, a little bit smaller than cormorants. They feed on fish, which they catch with their long, hook-tipped bills while swimming underwater. Shags nest on cliffs around our coasts, but are very rarely seen inland. They can often be spotted perched on a rock or bank with their wings held out. In this stance, they are able to dry their feathers off which are not waterproof.
How to identify
Smaller than a cormorant, a shag has dark green, shiny plumage, a crest and a narrower bill with a yellow gape.
Did you know?
Shags can dive down to depths of up to 45m to catch fish from near the bottom of the sea. Unlike gannets, they dive from the surface of the sea. They also eat crustaceans and molluscs.
