Marie Read / Abstract patterns of reflected sky and clouds on the ocean with a silhouetted Red-faced cormorant (Phalarocorax urile) in flight, St. Paul Island, Pribilof Islands, Alaska, USA, July.

Erlend Haarberg / European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) sitting at the entrance of a cave with flock of Common guillemots (Uria aalge) and Gulls (Laridae) flying past cave, Hornoya and Reinoya Nature Reserve, Finnm...

Espen Bergersen / Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) and European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) Hornoya, Finnmark, Norway. March.

Espen Bergersen / European shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in courtship display. Hornoya bird cliff, Finnmark, Norway. March.

David Pattyn / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) flying with nesting material, Hornoya, Varanger, Finnmark, Norway, May.

David Pattyn / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) spreading wings to dry, Hornoya, Varanger, Finnmark, Norway, April.

Markus Varesvuo / Common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) flying, with the sun in the background, Vardo, Norway, March.

Markus Varesvuo / Flock of Common shags (Phalacrocorax arostotelis) resting on a cliff, with wind blown snow, Vardo, Norway, March.

Erlend Haarberg / European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) flying between coastal rocks with a large wave crashing, Snaefellsnes peninsula, Iceland, February 2011

Juan Carlos Munoz / Imperial shag / Blue eyed cormorant colony (Phalacrocorax atriceps), showing birds on nests, with one bird flying above. Patagonia, Argentina, March 2008

Edwin Giesbers / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) looking curious, Farne Islands, Northumberland, UK

Edwin Giesbers / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) preening close-up, Farne Islands, Northumberland, UK, June

Wild Wonders of Europe / Hermansen / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) calling with wings stretched out, Saltee Islands, County Wexford, Ireland, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Hermansen / Shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) standing on coastal cliff, Saltee Islands, County Wexford, Ireland, June 2009

Wild Wonders of Europe / Hermansen / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) on cliff, Saltee Islands, County Wexford, Ireland, June 2009

Markus Varesvuo / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) at nest site, Norway

Guy Edwardes / Close-up of feathers of Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) Saltee Islands, Co. Wexford, Ireland, June

Charlie Summers / King cormorants (Phalacrocorax atriceps) in courtship behaviour at their nest site. Saunders Island, Falkland Islands.

Staffan Widstrand / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) head portrait, Hornoya Island, Varanger peninsula, Arctic Norway

Mike Read / European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) on a grassy cliff top, Lunga Island, Treshnish Isles, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, UK, May.

Loic Poidevin / European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). Hornoya Island, Varanger, Norway. May.

Loic Poidevin / European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) drying wings. Varanger, Norway. May.

Bernard Castelein / Indian cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis) flying close to the water surface intending to dip water and bringing it to the chicks in its nest, Keoladeo NP, Bharatpur, India

Bernard Castelein / Indian cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis) Keoladeo NP, Bharatpur, India

Bernard Castelein / Indian cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis) drying wings, Keoladeo NP, Bharatpur, India

Alex Hyde / South Georgia shag (Leucocarbo georgianus) St. Andrews Bay, South Georgia. November.

Philippe Clement / Two Shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) perched on a rock, one flying away, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK, June.

Philippe Clement / European shag / common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) perched on rock in sea cliff in spring, Shetland Islands, Scotland, UK, June

Robert Thompson / Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in flight over sea. Great Saltee Island, Saltee Islands, County Wexford, Republic of Ireland. June.

Mary McDonald / Blue-eyed shag (Phalacrocorax atriceps) juvenile, Cooper Bay, South Georgia, South Atlantic.

Espen Bergersen / European shag or common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) mating in snow. Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / European shag or common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) preening plumage. Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / European shag or common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) with gift for mate. Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / European shag or common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) on breeding cliff, covered with ice. Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / European / Common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) landing and calling, Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / European / Common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) landing. Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / European shags or common shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) calling, Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / European shag or common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in snow against dark background. Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / European / Common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) silhouetted against sea, Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / European shag or common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) on nest. Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / Close-up of European shag or common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) in breeding plumage showing raised crest. Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Espen Bergersen / Colony with adult and young European / Common shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis). Hornoya birdcliff, Vardo, Norway. March

Linda Pitkin / Sergeant major (Abudefduf vaigiensis), shoal on wreck of the Kingston, near Shag Rock, Strait of Gubal, Egypt, Red Sea.

Linda Pitkin / Sergeant major (Abudefduf vaigiensis), shoal on wreck of the Kingston, near Shag Rock, Strait of Gubal, Egypt, Red Sea.

Ashley Cooper / Pool coloured red from algae that have been fertilized by seabird guano on the Farne Islands, Northumberland, England, UK. July.

Terry Whittaker / Shags (Phalacrocorax aristotelis) roosting on decommissioned oil rig. Cromarty Firth, Highlands, Scotland. September.

Chris Mattison / Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis) in flight, Betty's Bay, Western Cape, South Africa

Chris Mattison / Cape Cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis) in flight, Betty's Bay, Western Cape, South Africa