Scottish shag makes unusual 319-mile urban trip

11 hours ago

Pritti MistryEast Yorkshire and Lincolnshire

News image — Shags usually stay within 200km (124 miles) of their breeding grounds, according to the RSPB

BBC A dark brown waterbird with a long, slightly hooked beak stands on a bright blue structure floating on water. The bird’s feathers appear glossy and textured, and its large webbed feet rest on the blue platform. — Shags usually stay within 200km (124 miles) of their breeding grounds, according to the RSPB

A vulnerable young seabird, ringed on the Isle of May in Scotland, made an "unusual" 319-mile (513km) trip south and was spotted basking on a housing estate in Hull.

The juvenile shag was fitted with a ring in June 2025 while it was a nestling chick off the Firth of Forth, according to the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

It was spotted on Saturday in the basin of Victoria Dock, which was once a major 19th Century commercial dock before it closed in 1970 to be redeveloped.

Until 2024, the species was on the UK's red list of birds at most need of conservation after dwindling numbers. The BTO said it was "quite unusual for shags to be seen in residential areas".

A wide view of a dock bordered by tall stone walls and surrounded by brick residential buildings. Near the centre of the water, a dark waterbird stands on a small bright blue floating device equipped with metal supports and a white cylindrical component. The water's surface reflects the sky and buildings, and a few pieces of debris and ducks are visible in the water. — It is unusual to see shags in urban areas, according to the British Trust for Ornithology

However, sightings of the seabird were "not unprecedented" in areas around the Humber as shags tend to nest on coastal cliffs, a BTO spokesperson said.

"Apparently, this bird is currently in the company of another couple of shags in the same area, so it's quite a gathering," they added.

Shags are identifiable by their dark green shiny plumage and long necks. They look similar to cormorants but are smaller and slimmer with a distinctive steep forehead and a narrower bill with a yellow gape.

The UK is known for its colonies of seabirds nesting in huge numbers on cliffs, but populations have been plummeting amid a host of pressures, from climate change to a lack of food.

Shags were moved to amber status in 2024 and populations are being monitored.

A dark brown waterbird with a long, slightly hooked beak stands on a bright blue floating device on water. The device has several vertical metal supports, cables, and a white cylindrical component mounted on top. Small bits of debris drift on the water’s surface around the platform. — More than half of the population of shags is found at fewer than 10 sites

According to a report from the Seabird Monitoring Programme, there was a 20% decline in shag numbers between the latest seabird censuses.

In the 1998-2002 census, there were 32,324 shags, but this fell to 25,961 by the next one (2015-2021).

According to the RSPB, shags breed on coastal sites – mainly in the north and west – and more than half of their population is found at fewer than 10 sites.

They usually stay within 200km (124 miles) of their breeding grounds.

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