Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

Cormorant on water
Cormorant on water

Cormorant fact file

Cormorant description

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassAves
OrderPelecaniformes
FamilyPhalacrocoracidae
GenusPhalacrocorax (7)

The cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo), a large water bird, has a long neck, giving it something of a primitive, reptilian appearance (3). Adults are black with a bluish or green sheen. At the base of the bill is an area of bare, yellow skin surrounded by white (1). During the breeding season there is a white patch on the thigh, and throughout the year a variable amount of white occurs on the crown and back of the neck (1). Juveniles are dark brown and have a white area on the underparts (1). A variety of deep vocalisations are produced in colonies (1). The name cormorant is derived from the Latin 'corvus marinus', which means 'sea crow' (4).

Also known as
great cormorant, white-breasted cormorant.
French
Grand Cormoran.
Size
Wingspan: 121-149 cm (1)
Length: 77-94 cm (1)
Top

Cormorant biology

Coastal cormorants make their nest on rocky ledges or islands out of seaweeds; inland tree-nesting birds construct their nest from twigs. The faeces are so acidic that nest-trees usually die within about three years (3). Either three or four pale blue, chalky eggs are laid, these are incubated for 28 to 31 days during which time they are placed on the adult's feet and warmed by the body (3). In the first few days of life the chicks feed on liquid regurgitated by the parents, they then take solid food from the parent's throats (3). After 50 days of life the young fledge, and return to the colony to breed at two to three years of age (3). During the winter, they roost together each evening, sometimes in their hundreds (9).

Cormorants feed exclusively on fish (6), which are caught by means of dives from the surface of the water (6). A wide range of fish is taken, and this bird's efficiency as a predator has brought it into conflict with anglers (3).

The cormorant has special feathers, which allow the water to penetrate, enabling the bird to swim well under water. After fishing, cormorants stand in a characteristic pose, with wings out and neck extended (3). This was thought to be to dry their wings, but is now considered to help digestion (9).

Top

Cormorant range

The cormorant occurs around the coastline of Great Britain, but is absent from much of north east Scotland (3). Although typically thought of as a sea bird, inland breeding colonies do occur, these are now increasing after being largely wiped out due to persecution since medieval times (5). Globally this is a very widespread species, occurring in most temperate areas of the Old World (6).

You can view distribution information for this species at the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

Top

Cormorant habitat

Coastal populations occur in shallow inshore marine waters (6) where there are rocky islands or cliffs (3). Inland cormorant colonies nest in trees close to freshwater lakes, reservoirs and gravel pits (3), and these are increasing (5).

Top

Cormorant status

The cormorant is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List (1). It receives general protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and listed under Appendix III of the Bern Convention. Classified as a species of conservation concern by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, although not a priority species (2). Included in the Birds of Conservation Concern Amber List (medium conservation concern) (8).

IUCN Red List species status – Least Concern

Top

Cormorant threats

People involved in angling and fisheries are concerned that the increase in numbers of cormorants in the UK is having a negative impact on fish stocks (5), and some are calling for the legal protection of the species to be reduced (3). Conservationists believe that any conflicts can be resolved on each site and are worried that such a move would affect the conservation status of the species (5).

Top

Cormorant conservation

Like all birds, the cormorant receives protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981; it is illegal to kill wild birds and their nests and eggs cannot be taken or destroyed (5).

There may be further information about this species available via the National Biodiversity Network Gateway.

View information on this species at the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Top

Find out more

For more information on the cormorant and other bird species:

Top

Authentication

Information authenticated by the RSPB:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/

Top

Glossary

Incubate
To keep eggs warm so that development is possible.
Top

References

  1. IUCN Red List (February, 2011)
    http://www.iucnredlist.org/
  2. Mullarney, K., Svensson, L., Zetterstrom, D., & Grant, P.J. (1999) Collins Bird Guide. HarperCollins Publishers Ltd, London.
  3. UK Biodiversity Action Plan (1995). See:
    http://www.ukbap.org.uk
  4. RSPB (2003) The population status of birds in the UK
    http://www.rspb.org.uk/Images/5_20625.pdf
  5. RSPB cormorant information (July 2002).
    http://www.rspb.org.uk/birds/cormorant/?page=c
  6. Greenoak, F. (1979) All the birds of the air; the names, lore and literature of British birds. Book Club Associates, London.
  7. The Moran Committee. Cormorants: The facts (July 2002):
    http://www.cormorants.info/facts
  8. Lack, P. (1986) The Atlas of Wintering Birds in Britain and Ireland. T. & A. D. Poyser Ltd, Calton.
  9. RSPB (2003) Pers. comm.

More »Related species

Flightless cormorant (Phalacrocorax harrisi)Bank cormorant (Phalacrocorax neglectus)Bounty Islands Shag (Phalacrocorax ranfurlyi)Shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis)Socotra cormorant (Phalacrocorax nigrogularis)Chatham Island shag (Phalacrocorax onslowi)Cape cormorant (Phalacrocorax capensis)Auckland Islands shag (Phalacrocorax colensoi)

This species is featured in:

This is a UK rocky shore species. Visit our habitat page to learn more.

Please donate to ARKive today

Help us share the wonders of the natural world. Donate today!

Sign up to our newsletter

Get the latest wild news direct to your inbox.

Get involved

ARKive relies on its media donors to donate photos and videos. Can you help? There are plenty of other ways you can get involved too!

X
Close

Image credit

Cormorant on water  
Cormorant on water

© Wild Wonders of Europe / Máté / naturepl.com

Nature Picture Library
5a Great George Street
Bristol
BS1 5RR
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0) 117 911 4675
Fax: +44 (0) 117 911 4699
info@naturepl.com
http://www.naturepl.com

X
Close

Link to this photo

ARKive species - Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Embed this ARKive thumbnail link by copying and pasting the code below.

Terms of Use - The displayed thumbnail may be used as a link from your website to ARKive's online content for private, scientific, conservation or educational purposes only. It may NOT be used within Apps.

Read more about

X
Close

MyARKive

MyARKive offers the scrapbook feature to signed-up members, allowing you to organize your favourite ARKive images and videos and share them with friends.

X
Close

Terms and Conditions of Use of Materials

Copyright in this website and materials contained on this website (Material) belongs to Wildscreen or its licensors.

Visitors to this website (End Users) are entitled to:

  • view the contents of, and Material on, the website;
  • download and retain copies of the Material on their personal systems in digital form in low resolution for their own personal use;
  • teachers, lecturers and students may incorporate the Material in their educational material (including, but not limited to, their lesson plans, presentations, worksheets and projects) in hard copy and digital format for use within a registered educational establishment, provided that the integrity of the Material is maintained and that copyright ownership and authorship is appropriately acknowledged by the End User.

End Users shall not copy or otherwise extract, alter or manipulate Material other than as permitted in these Terms and Conditions of Use of Materials.

Additional use of flagged material

Green flagged material 

Certain Material on this website (Licence 4 Material) displays a green flag next to the Material and is available for not-for-profit conservation or educational use. This material may be used by End Users, who are individuals or organisations that are in our opinion not-for-profit, for their not-for-profit conservation or not-for-profit educational purposes. Low resolution, watermarked images may be copied from this website by such End Users for such purposes. If you require high resolution or non-watermarked versions of the Material, please contact Wildscreen with details of your proposed use.

Creative commons material

Certain Material on this website has been licensed to Wildscreen under a Creative Commons Licence. These images are clearly marked with the Creative Commons buttons and may be used by End Users only in the way allowed by the specific Creative Commons Licence under which they have been submitted. Please see http://creativecommons.org for details.

Any other use

Please contact the copyright owners directly (copyright and contact details are shown for each media item) to negotiate terms and conditions for any use of Material other than those expressly permitted above. Please note that many of the contributors to ARKive are commercial operators and may request a fee for such use.

Save as permitted above, no person or organisation is permitted to incorporate any copyright material from this website into any other work or publication in any format (this includes but is not limited to: websites, Apps, CDs, DVDs, intranets, extranets, signage, digital communications or on printed materials for external or other distribution). Use of the Material for promotional, administrative or for-profit purposes is not permitted.