Three common and one rare species of cormorants, or shags, are found within British Columbia. This word has been associated with cormorants that are said to nest in trees. The double-crested cormorant is the only local cormorant known to include trees as nesting sites. It is also known from archaeological sites throughout the Strait of Georgia, indicating its presence there for 5,000 years. This bird formerly was hunted and eaten, but its tough meat was not considered a favorite food.
Binomial name
[Phalacrocorax auritus (Lesson) (double-crested cormorant) and possibly other Phalacrocorax spp.]