Great Cormorant

Great Cormorant Latest News

A Hyderabad-born Canadian birder spotted a rare leucistic Great Cormorant at Ameenpur Lake near BHEL recently.

About Great Cormorant

• It is a large waterbird and a member of the cormorant family of seabirds.
• Scientific Name: Phalacrocorax carbo 

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Great Cormorant Habitat and Distribution

• They are probably the most widespread member of the cormorant family with a range that includes North America, Europe, Africa, China, India, Southeast Asia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Australia.  
• Well adapted to aquatic environments, they live in the shallow waters along marine shorelines but may inhabit lakes and rivers.  

Great Cormorant Features

• It is the largest member of the cormorant family, reaching 35-40 inches in length with a wingspan of over five feet. 
• Males are typically larger and heavier than females. 
• They have dark, glossy plumage, very long necks, long, hooked bills and webbed feet. 
• They have a longish tail and a yellow throat patch. Adults have white thigh patches in the breeding season. 
• Their powerful bills are greyish with white patches around its base. 
• They employ their powerful webbed feet for efficient swimming and diving to catch a variety of prey, including fish, crabs, and, in some areas, frogs or ducklings. 
• Notably, the Great Cormorant has a unique fishing partnership with Asian fishermen, who train them to catch fish while preventing them from swallowing their catch using rings around their necks. 
• Like other cormorants, their plumage has limited waterproofing. The birds spread their wings to dry when they leave the water after diving.  
• These birds typically nest in small colonies, sometimes expanding to over 2,000 pairs.

Great Cormorant Conservation Status

It is classified as ‘Least Concern‘ under the IUCN Red List.

News: TT