Phalacrocoracidae

Phalacrocoracidae, commonly known as cormorants and shags, is a family of about 40 species of aquatic birds. In 2021, the International Ornithologists’ Union adopted a consensus taxonomy comprising seven genera. The great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) and the common shag (Gulosus aristotelis) are the main species found in Britain and Ireland. Cormorants and shags are medium-to-large birds, weighing between 0.35–5 kg and with wingspans of 60–100 cm). They have dark feathers, long hooked bills, and webbed feet, and are skilled divers, able to reach depths of up to 45 meters. These birds nest in colonies along coasts or on cliffs and some species have adapted to inland waters. All species are fish-eaters, often diving from the surface and using their feet for propulsion underwater. Cormorants are known for their wing-drying behavior after fishing, as their feathers can be water-permeable. Colonial nesters, they typically lay chalky-blue eggs and usually raise one brood a year, feeding their young through regurgitation.