Birds of Ireland: Shag

A shag's breeding plumage features distinctive forward-curling dark crown tufts and they have all-dark iridescent plumage with a thin yellow patch below the eye

Pair of shags on Inisheer pier, County Galway, Picture: Dan MacCarthy

Shag [Seaga | Phalacrocorax aristotelis]

A shag is about 65-80 centimetres long with a wingspan of 90-105 centimetres.

They are a common breeding species found at the coast and on estuaries here all year round.

Shags are diving birds — they look like a smaller, less robust version of a cormorant. Both sexes appear similar: they have a long, slim beak and short, stout, dark webbed feet. They have a slim head and neck and a more obvious forehead.

Their breeding plumage features distinctive forward-curling dark crown tufts and they have all-dark iridescent plumage with a thin yellow patch below the eye.

Shag (European Shag)

For a shag's non-breeding plumage they lose their tufts and the yellow patch gets dull In the first winter, unlike the cormorant, a shag is grey-brown rather than white/grey-white below.

In flight a shag has no obvious markings; they have a direct flight, usually low over water and their thin, straight neck is visible.

Voice — these birds are usually silent.

Tip of the Week:

When getting your first pair of binoculars, start with something that is not too expensive, because, until you get used to handling them, you are at a greater risk of dropping or damaging them.

You can spend anything from €80 to €2,000 on standard binoculars. Usually very cheap binoculars are easily broken, and have poor-quality lenses that will have you seeing double after a while. You should be able to get a good pair to begin with from about €150-€200.

If you become more interested in birdwatching and find yourself using the binoculars a lot, you can then upgrade.

Featured in Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide, (Gill Books) by Jim Wilson, with photographs by Mark Carmody

• Jim Wilson is a wildlife writer, broadcaster, tour leader, and former chairman of BirdWatch Ireland. He has been involved in the study and conservation of birds in Ireland for more than 45 years, contributing to several major surveys and international projects.
• Mark Carmody is an award-winning wildlife photographer, has a PhD in biochemistry and works as a European patent attorney.