Great Cormorant

Phalacrocorax carbo

Genus · Typical Old World Cormorants Family · Cormorants and Shags
Observation tips Difficulty: EASY
Best time
🕒 Any
Activity
☀️ Diurnal
Best months
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Observation habitat
BuoysDead treesPiersRocks

Look for a large black silhouette with a white throat patch. Watch for the classic wing-drying posture.

Great Cormorant
Stats
Wingspan130–160 cm
Weight1700–3900 g
Length77–95 cm
Lifespan wild10–20 yrs
Size
XS
S
M
L
XL
Nesting
Nest typePlatform
Clutch size3–5 eggs
Incubation28–31 days
Breeding months
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Regional Status (Europe)
LC
Least Concern (Europe)
IUCN Red List
MigrationPartial migratory
Social BehaviourColonial

Diet: Piscivore

🦀Crustaceans
🐟Fish

Habitat

🛶 Lake wetlands🌊 Marine🏞️ River
✦ Fun Fact

Cormorants can dive to depths of over 30 metres and hold their breath for more than a minute while pursuing fish underwater.

About

A large, imposing waterbird with a prehistoric look. It lives in coastal and inland waters across Europe. It has black plumage with a bronze sheen and a powerful hooked bill. It is a highly social bird. They nest in large, noisy colonies on cliffs or in trees.

Behaviour

Cormorants are pursuit-divers. They swim underwater with great speed to catch fish. Their feathers are not fully waterproof. This helps them dive deeper by reducing buoyancy, but they must dry their wings in the sun afterwards. They are often seen standing on rocks with their wings spread.

Similar species

European Shag
🐦
European Shag
Gulosus aristotelis
See Great Cormorant in the app.
Full encyclopedia, offline diary, AI identification — always with you.
Download on Google Play