Wildlife watch Can you spot the difference?
Scottish Wildlife Trust’s Falls of Clyde Wildlife Reserve Ranger Laura Preston would like to tell readers the difference between two distinctive birds.
Cormorant and shag are two similar-looking, closely related species that are frequently confused for each other.
They are both black, reptilianlike, fish-eating water birds that swim low on the water, with their heads tilted towards the sky.
Both are diving birds, and when resting can be found sitting upright on rocks, in their familiar spreadeagle pose.
So, how can you tell them apart?
Individuals out of context can confuse even the most experienced birders.
Half of the world’s shag population live in the UK and although there are fewer cormorants here compared to shags, you are more likely to see them, due to their distribution.
Cormorants can be commonly found on land. We have cormorants visiting the Falls of Clyde reserve every autumn and they stay throughout the winter months, feeding along the Clyde.
In terms of identification, cormorants have brown/ black feathers and in breeding plumage they are easy to identify, with white patches on their thighs and under their chin. If you see these features, any cormorant-like bird inland can be positively identified as such.
Cormorants are heavy birds and sit low in the water, with a wedge-shaped angular-looking head and heavy-looking bill.
They have striking green eyes, pale feathering around the face, with bare skin around the eyes. In flight they look pterodactyllike, usually flying alone, but sometimes in groups.
Shags are to be found along the coast. They are smaller, more slender bodied with a long, slender bill and emerald eyes, surrounded by feathers.
Their plumage is black with a green gloss (less glossy out of the breeding season), wings tinged purplish, with no white parts on its body.
They have a smaller head, long neck and peaked forehead, which gives a snake-like impression.
In the breeding season their peaked forehead sports a tufted crest.