Great Cormorant Bird Facts (Phalacrocorax carbo)

Visual Identification

Appearance

The Great Cormorant is a large waterbird with predominantly glossy black plumage, often with a greenish or bluish sheen. Adults have a white throat and cheek patch, and during the breeding season, they develop white thigh patches and fine white plumes on the head and neck.

Juveniles are duller brown, with varying amounts of white on the underparts. The bird's distinctive features include its long, hooked bill, bright yellow-orange facial skin, and piercing turquoise-green eyes.

Size

Length

80cm to 100cm

Wingspan

130cm to 160cm

Weight

1.8kg to 3kg

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Black White

Secondary Colour

Brown

Beak Colour

Grey

Leg Colour

Black

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Great Cormorant is not typically found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Great Cormorant is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Great Cormorant can be found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Great Cormorant can be found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Great Cormorant is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Great Cormorant is not typically found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Great Cormorant is not typically found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Great Cormorant is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Great Cormorant is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Great Cormorant is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Great Cormorant is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Great Cormorant is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Great Cormorants inhabit coastal areas, estuaries, and large inland water bodies across Europe, Asia, Africa, and parts of Australasia. They prefer areas with abundant fish and suitable perching or nesting sites, such as cliffs, islands, or trees near water.

In the UK, they are found along most coastlines and increasingly on inland waters. In North America, they are primarily coastal, with populations along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 1,500 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subtropical, Tropical

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Great Cormorant. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons

Resident

Breeding

Non-breeding

Vagrant

Distribution by Region

Species that can be found in the area throughout the year

Albania Angola Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Belgium Bermuda Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brunei Bulgaria Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Chad China Congo Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Democratic Republic of the Congo Denmark Egypt Eritrea Estonia Eswatini Ethiopia Finland France Gambia Georgia Germany Greece Greenland Guinea Guinea-Bissau Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Italy Japan Jordan Kenya Kuwait Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Libya Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malawi Moldova Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Namibia Netherlands Nigeria North Korea Norway Pakistan Philippines Poland Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Pierre and Miquelon Senegal Serbia Slovakia Somalia South Africa South Korea South Sudan Spain Sudan Sweden Switzerland Syria The United Kingdom Turkey Ukraine Vietnam Zambia Zimbabwe

Species that are present in the area during their breeding season

Afghanistan Australia Canada Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Mauritania Mongolia New Caledonia New Zealand Russia Solomon Islands Tajikistan Tanzania Turkmenistan Uganda United States of America Uzbekistan Western Sahara

Species that are present in the area outside their breeding season

Algeria Bahrain Bhutan Faroe Islands Gibraltar Hong Kong Israel Laos Malaysia Malta Myanmar Nepal Oman Palestine Portugal Qatar Saudi Arabia Slovenia Sri Lanka Taiwan Thailand Tunisia United Arab Emirates Yemen

Species that appear infrequently (rare) and unpredictably outside their normal range

Benin Cape Verde Christmas Island Liberia Liechtenstein Micronesia Papua New Guinea Seychelles

Behaviour and Ecology

Bird Attributes

This feature is in beta. We'd love your feedback to improve it!

Share your thoughts

Bird Attributes Explained

Our bird attributes system rates various aspects of a bird's capabilities on a scale of 0-100, based on data from field observations, scientific studies, and expert knowledge.

Attribute Categories:

Agility: Manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.
Strength: Physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.
Adaptability: Ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.
Aggressiveness: Territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.
Endurance: Stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

Understanding the Ratings:

0-20: Very Low
21-40: Low
41-60: Average
61-80: High
81-100: Very High

Remember, these attributes are relative to other bird species and don't necessarily indicate superiority.

Hover over the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Tap the icon next to each attribute for more information.

Agility 85

Agility

Reflects the bird's manoeuvrability, speed, and grace in flight or movement.

The Great Cormorant demonstrates remarkable agility in water, capable of diving to depths of 45 metres and manoeuvring swiftly to catch fish. Their ability to propel themselves underwater with powerful webbed feet showcases their aquatic dexterity.

Strength 70

Strength

Indicates the bird's physical power, often correlating with size and hunting abilities.

With a robust build and the capacity to dive deep and catch fish, Great Cormorants exhibit considerable strength. Their ability to carry nesting materials and construct bulky nests further attests to their physical prowess.

Adaptability 80

Adaptability

Represents the bird's ability to thrive in various environments or changing conditions.

Great Cormorants show high adaptability, thriving in diverse habitats from coastal areas to inland waterways across multiple continents. Their increasing presence in inland waters in the UK demonstrates their ability to adjust to new environments.

Aggressiveness 60

Aggressiveness

Measures the bird's territorial behaviour and assertiveness, particularly during breeding seasons.

While not typically aggressive towards humans, Great Cormorants can display territorial behaviour during breeding seasons. Their grunting and hissing sounds during disputes at nesting sites indicate a moderate level of aggression when necessary.

Endurance 75

Endurance

Reflects the bird's stamina, often seen in migration patterns or foraging behaviours.

The Great Cormorant's endurance is evident in its long-distance fishing expeditions and its ability to dive repeatedly. Their partial migratory nature and capacity to stay underwater for up to a minute further demonstrate their stamina.

Diet

Great Cormorants primarily feed on fish, including both marine and freshwater species. They are opportunistic feeders, also consuming crustaceans, amphibians, and occasionally small birds.

These birds dive from the surface, pursuing prey underwater and catching it with their hooked bills.

Behaviour

Great Cormorants are excellent swimmers and divers, propelling themselves underwater with powerful webbed feet to catch fish. They are often seen perched on rocks or posts with wings spread, drying their feathers after diving. These birds are generally social, forming large breeding colonies and sometimes fishing in groups.

Vocalisation

Great Cormorants are generally silent away from breeding colonies. At nesting sites, they produce a variety of grunting, groaning, and hissing sounds. The most common call is a deep, guttural 'grock-grock-grock,' often heard during territorial disputes or courtship displays.

Nesting & Breeding

Great Cormorants typically breed in large, noisy colonies, often alongside other seabirds. Pair formation begins in late winter or early spring, with elaborate courtship displays involving wing-waving and gaping.

Nests are bulky structures made of sticks, seaweed, and other plant material, usually built on cliff ledges, in trees, or on the ground on islands. Females lay 3-4 pale blue eggs with a chalky coating.

Both parents incubate the eggs for about 28-31 days and care for the chicks. Young birds fledge after 50-55 days but remain fed by their parents for several weeks after leaving the nest.

Conservation and Status

Global Conservation Status

Least Concern ^[1]

While the Great Cormorant is listed as Least Concern globally, some local populations face threats from habitat loss and persecution due to perceived competition with fisheries. Conservation efforts focus on protecting breeding sites and managing human-wildlife conflicts in fishing areas.

Population Data

Global Population Estimate

1,400,000 - 2,100,000 mature individuals ^[2]

Global Population Trend

^[3]

Trend data may be uncertain or fluctuating

Birdwatching Tips

Look for cormorants perched with spread wings on coastal rocks or inland waterways.
Observe diving behavior - they submerge completely and can stay underwater for up to a minute.
Listen for their distinctive grunting calls, especially near breeding colonies.
In the UK, check reservoirs and gravel pits for inland populations.

Additional Information

Quick Facts

Other names:

Black Cormorant, Large Cormorant

Family:

Phalacrocoracidae

Average Lifespan

15 to 20 years

Predators

Adult Great Cormorants have few natural predators, but eggs and chicks are vulnerable to gulls, crows, and birds of prey. In some areas, foxes and rats may raid ground nests.

Did You Know?

Great Cormorants can dive to depths of up to 45 meters in pursuit of fish.
Their feathers are less waterproof than those of other waterbirds, which reduces buoyancy and helps them dive deeper.
In some Asian countries, cormorants have been trained for centuries to fish for humans in a practice called cormorant fishing.
There are over 30 species of cormorants across the world, with just two species, the great cormorant and the common shag, resident in the UK.