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European Shag
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Habitat and behaviour
Habitat: Rocky coasts.
Diet: Sandeels, fish.
Best time to spot: Greener gloss than Cormorant.
When to look
Resident in the UK, so it can be found year-round. More on the season in Bird migration in Britain.
How rare is it?
The European Shag sits in our Uncommon tier for the UK: regular, but you usually need the right place or the right season. It is Amber-listed in Birds of Conservation Concern 5, the middle level of concern in the UK.
Recent UK sightings
No community sightings logged for this species yet. Log the first one.
Similar birds
- Black GuillemotUncommon · Rocky coasts; sheltered firths
- Common EiderUncommon · Rocky coasts
- Eurasian Rock PipitUncommon · Rocky coasts
- Arctic TernUncommon · Northern coasts (summer)
- Audouin's GullEpic · Mediterranean coasts
- Black WheatearLegendary · Rocky areas (extreme vagrant)
Kit that helps
Best spotting scopes for UK birding. Affiliate links, our own picks, no extra cost to you.
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