Guanay Cormorant
Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum
Silhouette: Juan Carlos Jerí · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderSuliformes (Gannets, Cormorants, and Allies)
- FamilyPhalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and Shags)
- GenusLeucocarbo (Blue-eyed Shags and allies)
- SpeciesLeucocarbo bougainvilliorum (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.
Most taxonomic authorities, including the International Ornithologists' Union, place this species in the genus Leucocarbo. In the past, it was usually placed in a broad circumscription of the genus Phalacrocorax, and some authors still follow this. The scientific name commemorates the French naval officers Louis Antoine de Bougainville and his son Hyacinthe de Bougainville; the species epithet was corrected from the original bougainvillii to the plural spelling bougainvilliorum ("of the Bougainvilles") in 2020 to reflect this dual honoring.
The guanay cormorant is similar in plumage to the rock shag Leucocarbo magellanicus, but is... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Guanay Cormorant in Machalilla National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Machalilla National Park
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paracas National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 2 | Machalilla National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Guanay Cormorant in Machalilla National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Guanay Cormorant sighting in Machalilla National Park, based on 152 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Guanay Cormorant in Machalilla National Park?
July has the highest sighting rate for Guanay Cormorant in Machalilla National Park in our monthly data.