Guanay Cormorant
Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum
The Guanay Cormorant (Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum) is a uncommon cormorants and shag found in 5 countries, weighing about 2.5 kg. The guanay cormorant or guanay shag is a member of the cormorant family found on the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile.
About the Guanay Cormorant
The guanay cormorant or guanay shag is a member of the cormorant family found on the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile. After breeding it spreads south to southern parts of Chile and north to Ecuador, and has also been recorded as far north as Panama and Colombia, probably a result of mass dispersal due to food shortage in El Niño years. Its major habitats include shallow seawater and rocky shores. A former population on the Patagonian Atlantic coast of Argentina appears to be extinct.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The guanay cormorant is similar in plumage to the rock shag Leucocarbo magellanicus, but is larger, measuring 71–78 cm from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, and has more extensive white on the underparts. The bill is grayish with some red at the base. The face is red with a green eye-ring. It has orange-pink feet. The head, neck and back are black, as are the outer parts of the thighs. The throat patch, breast and belly are white. In breeding plumage it has a few white feathers on the sides of the head and neck.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Argentina.
When to see it
The Guanay Cormorant can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Guanay Cormorant?
- The guanay cormorant is similar in plumage to the rock shag Leucocarbo magellanicus, but is larger, measuring 71–78 cm from the tip of the bill to the end of the tail, and has more extensive white on the underparts. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Guanay Cormorant?
- The Guanay Cormorant is a huge sized bird weighing about 2.5 kg.
- Where can you see a Guanay Cormorant?
- The Guanay Cormorant occurs in 5 countries, including Chile, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia.
- What birds look similar to a Guanay Cormorant?
- The Guanay Cormorant is most easily confused with the Stewart Island Shag, the New Zealand King Shag and the Auckland Shag.
- Is the Guanay Cormorant endangered?
- The Guanay Cormorant is listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Guanay Cormorant for real
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