Guanay cormorant

Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum

The guanay cormorant or guanay shag (Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum) is a member of the cormorant family found on the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile.

Family: Phalacrocoracidae Order: Suliformes Conservation: Least Concern
Guanay cormorant

About the Guanay cormorant

The guanay cormorant or guanay shag (Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum) is a member of the cormorant family found on the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile. After breeding it spreads south to southern parts of Chile and north to Ecuador, and has also been recorded as far north as Panama and Colombia, probably a result of mass dispersal due to food shortage in El Niño years. Its major habitats include shallow seawater and rocky shores. A former population on the Patagonian Atlantic coast of Argentina appears to be extinct.

Fun Facts About Guanay cormorant

  • Its major habitats include shallow seawater and rocky shores.
  • After breeding it spreads south to southern parts of Chile and north to Ecuador, and has also been recorded as far north as Panama and Colombia, probably a result of mass dispersal due to food shortage in El Niño years.
  • A former population on the Patagonian Atlantic coast of Argentina appears to be extinct.

Conservation Status

The Guanay cormorant is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This species is currently stable and not at significant risk of population decline.

View on IUCN Red List →

Taxonomy & Classification

OrderSuliformes
FamilyPhalacrocoracidae
GenusLeucocarbo
SpeciesLeucocarbo bougainvilliorum

Range & Habitat

Range map of Guanay cormorant

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Related Species

Other species in the Phalacrocoracidae family: