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Pied CormorantAlternate name(s): "Yellow-faced Cormorant", "Pied Shag", "Black-and-white Shag*" ![]() Size: 65-80 cm; wing span 1.0-1.5 m Weight: 1.4-2.2 kg |
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Similar |
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Photos |
Race "varius"
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
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BREEDING |
Close-up near-frontal view of a Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage
on its nest
(photo courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)
[Near Wellington, NZ, May 2014]
Race "hypoleucos"
Not the photos you want? Or are you after even better quality? Have a
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ADULT |
Sex unknown |
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BREEDING |
Near-frontal view of a Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Caloundra, QLD, August 2017]
Close-up lateral portrait of a Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage; note
the brightness and the radiant colours of the facial skin
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cape Borda, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]
Lateral view of a Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage; note
the brightness and the radiant colours of the facial skin
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Cape Borda, Kangaroo Island, SA, March 2016]
Lateral view of a Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, January 2023]
Near-dorsal view of a Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, January 2023]
Dorsal view of a Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Alfred Cove, Swan River, Perth, WA, January 2017]
Comparison between a Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage and a
Little Pied Cormorant
(photo courtesy of C. Pears)
[Quindalup, WA, May 2021]
Lateral view of a Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage
in flight
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Flat Rock, Ballina, NSW, February 2019]
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NON-BREEDING |
Near-frontal view of a Pied Cormorant in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Near-frontal view of a Pied Cormorant in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of J. Thurmer)
[Semaphore Beach, SA, February 2009]
Lateral view of a Pied Cormorant in non-breeding
plumage
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, October 2011]
Lateral view of two Pied Cormorants in breeding
plumage;
note the bright colours of their facial skin patches and eyerings;
the black flanks distinguish them from
Little Pied Cormorants
[Iluka NR,
NSW, February 2012]
Lateral view of a Pied Cormorant in non-breeding
plumage
(photo courtesy of S. Kirkby)
[Ord River, WA, June 2011]
Dorsal view of a Pied Cormorant in non-breeding
plumage
[Yarrie Lake, near Wee Waa, NSW, October 2011]
This photo of a Pied Cormorant in non-breeding
plumage
on Lake Argyle, which is a man-made
water storage dam,
gives a good impression of its size
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Lake Argyle, near Kununurra, WA, April 2018]
Group of four Pied Cormorants in flight
[Goran Lake, NSW, August 2011]
Great Cormorants
and Pied Cormorants can be seen to fly together in one skein
[Near Moree, NSW, June 2013]
Pied Cormorant returning to its roost after a day's worth of
fishing in
coastal waters
[Old Bar, NSW, July 2013]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Lateral view of a juvenile Pied Cormorant; note the brownish
back and the streaking on the side of the chest
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nitmiluk NP
(Katherine Gorge), NT, December 2017]
Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Pied Cormorant
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Nitmiluk NP
(Katherine Gorge), NT, December 2017]
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Breeding information |
Breeding season: Dec - Jun | Eggs: 2 - 4 | Incubation period: ca. 30 days | Fledging age: ca. 28 days |
The breeding season of Pied Cormorants depends on geographical latitude. In principle they can breed at any time of year.
Nest building: Female & male | Incubation: Female & male | Dependent care: Female & male |
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Nest |
"bungobittah", "lar", "malunna", "jindi" [bundjalung] = nest [Aboriginal] |
Type: Basket | Material: Sticks | Height above ground: 0 - 10 m |
Coastal nests can be on the ground, on rocks, while inland nests are usually built in trees. In coastal river estuaries nests can be at low height, e.g. in mangrove.
Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage
on its nest with a chick
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, March 2013]
Example of colonial nesting of Pied Cormorants
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, March 2015]
Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage
on its nest feeding a chick
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, March 2013]
Pied Cormorants in breeding
plumage
feeding their chicks - note the full crops
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, March 2014]
Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage
feeding a chick - as the chicks grow older the process of
feeding them can become a bit of a rowdy routine (photo
courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, May 2013]
Lateral view of a Pied Cormorant in breeding
plumage
carrying nesting material
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, NSW, January 2014]
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Eggs |
"boyanga", "booyanga", "derinya", "dirandil", "koomura", "mirk", "ngampu", "nooluk", "pateena", "pum-pum" = Egg; "dirundirri" = eggs [Aboriginal]; "gawu" = eggs [gamilaraay] |
Size: 60 x 40 mm | Colour: Faint-blue, chalky | Shape: Long tapered oval |
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: Communal | Mobility: Dispersive | Elementary unit: Pair/flock |
In the breeding season Pied Cormorants can be seen performing nuptial displays.
Lateral view of a Pied Cormorant's nuptial display
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Centennial Park, Sydney, December 2013]
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Food, Diet |
Like most other members of the Phalacrocorax family, Pied Cormorants feed primarily on fish.
This Pied Cormorant may have taken a baitfish, with the hook it was
on - the fishing line is still dangling from the bird's bill
(photo
courtesy of A. Ross-Taylor)