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MarinePlatform nestLarge · 1.5 kg
ID tip
At a distance, the rock shag is a black and white bird, with head, neck and upperparts black and chest and underparts white. Closer up, the black areas vary from metallic blue to oily green, and are flecked with white in places. The legs and feet are a pink, fleshy colour, and the bare flesh around the beak and eyes is brick red. In breeding condition, there is a blackish though not very prominent crest on the forehead, and a distinctive white ear patch. There is even less sexual dimorphism than in most cormorant species, but males are 5%-10% larger on most size measurements.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
When to see the Rock Shag
One bar for each month. Filled bars are the 8 months with records; pale bars are months with none. The wide bar is November, the month with the most records.
Where to see the Rock Shag
The map shades 3 countries with regular records. Everything unshaded has no records. Countries are listed below the map.
About the Rock Shag
The rock shag, also known as the Magellanic cormorant, is a marine cormorant found around the southernmost coasts of South America. Its breeding range is from around Valdivia, Chile, south to Cape Horn and Tierra del Fuego, and north to Punta Tombo in Argentina. In winter it is seen further north, with individuals reaching as far as Santiago, Chile on the west coast and Uruguay on the east. The birds also breed around the coasts of the Falkland Islands.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Easily confused with
Guanay CormorantLeucocarbo bougainvilliorumThe 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.
Stewart Island ShagLeucocarbo chalconotusThe species is dimorphic, with two plumages.
New Zealand King ShagLeucocarbo carunculatusIt is a large (76 cm long, 2.5 kg in weight) black and white cormorant with pink feet.
Side by side: Imperial Shag vs Rock Shag · Red-legged Cormorant vs Rock Shag · Guanay Cormorant vs Rock Shag · Rock Shag vs Stewart Island Shag
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