European shag

The protected sea area of Miramare is a paradise for the marine birds that live in the area of Trieste: common and yellow-legged gulls and European shags, which are all found in great groups. These shags were resting on a rocky island a few meters from the coastline some letting the sun dry their wings, some fishing and others just enjoying the peacefull atmosphere. The shags are very clumsy while walking, and at the first sign of danger they dive into the sea, reemerging various meters away. This is the medium sized species of the three found in Italy, it is known for the crest the males have in certain periods of the year, although none of the ones I saw had it.