Blue Eyed Shag
- Phalacrocorax atriceps
- Pair
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Blue eyed shags nest in colonies with other birds
of the same type and sometimes with no other species there
at all. Shag Rocks for instance, isolated rocks sticking
out of the South Atlantic about 250 kilometres from the
next nearest island of South Georgia are home to countless
blue eyed shags and virtually nothing else. Likewise the
aptly named Shagnasty Island in the South Orkneys is home
to a large monoculture of these birds, and a very loud,
smelly and nasty place it is too.
Like many types of penguins these shags are adept and compulsive thieves stealing the unguarded nest material from any neighbouring nests if at all possible. A habit that contributes to a raucous and very lively colony.
Photo; © Paul Ward - Pictures taken on Signy Island, South Orkneys, Antarctica.