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4

Black-faced Cormorant

(Phalacrocorax fuscescens)
Alternate name(s): "White-breasted Cormorant", "Black-and-white Shag*", "Black-faced Shag"
Size: 60-70 cm; wing span 1 m
Weight: 1.0-1.8 kg

Similar
species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Black-faced Cormorant at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Close-up lateral portrait of a Black-faced Cormorant in breeding plumage; note the white nuptial plumes at the nape of the neck (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Lateral view of a Black-faced Cormorant drying its breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Two Black-faced Cormorants preening; breeding plumage on the left, non-breeding plumage on the right
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

Direct comparison of three different species of cormorants: Black-faced Cormorant, left to centre, Pied Cormorant, second from right, and Little Pied Cormorant, right (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

NON-BREEDING

Frontal view of a Black-faced Cormorant in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dunalley, TAS, April 2021]

Frontal view of a Black-faced Cormorant in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dunalley, TAS, April 2021]

Close-up lateral view of a Black-faced Cormorant in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dunalley, TAS, April 2021]

Close-up lateral view of a Black-faced Cormorant in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dunalley, TAS, April 2021]

Lateral view of a Black-faced Cormorant in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dunalley, TAS, April 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Black-faced Cormorant in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dunalley, TAS, April 2021]

Close-up dorsal view of a Black-faced Cormorant in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dunalley, TAS, April 2021]

Immature Little Pied Cormorant, front, with two Black-faced Cormorants behind - in breeding plumage, left, and non-breeding plumage (note the entirely black nape of the neck), right (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Kingscote, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Black-faced Cormorant (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Dunalley, TAS, April 2021]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Black-faced Cormorant; note the brown edge-lining on the wing feathers and the characteristic fine streaking on the neck and cheeks (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2018]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Black-faced Cormorant with its head turned (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, January 2018]

Behaviour

Black-faced Cormorants are the only exclusively coastal and marine species of cormorants in Australia. They do not venture inland anywhere.

Preening Black-faced Cormorants in non-breeding plumage (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Off southern Tasmania, January 2023]

Small mob of Black-faced Cormorants in non-breeding plumage resting on a rock platform (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Off southern Tasmania, January 2023]

Small mob of Black-faced Cormorants in non-breeding plumage on a tiny rocky island (photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Off southern Tasmania, January 2023]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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