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4

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Alternate name(s): "Black Cormorant", "Black Shag", "Large Black Cormorant", "Great Black Cormorant" German name(s): "Kormoran" Size: 70-102 cm; wingspan: 1.2-1.6 m Weight: 1.2-3.0 kg

Europe: Family Group 4 Family Group 4 Table Great Cormorant European Shag Pygmy Cormorant Northern Gannet Great White Pelican Thumbnails page Family group table Index of bird names European birds home page

Similar species

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

Physical description Click here for a physical description Great Cormorants are large cormorants (details of their size and weight depend on race; birds of nominate race "carbo" found in north-eastern Canada are the biggest and heaviest, while birds found in central of race "sinensis" are the smallest and lightest). During the breeding season Great Cormorants have white nuptial plumes on their hindneck, white cheeks and chin and a white thigh patch. These are absent in eclipse. The tail feathers are long and black. Their irises are turquoise; the bill is grey, legs and feet are dark-grey. Juvenile Great Cormorants have a grey front and are browner than adults.

Taxonomy, classification See Great Cormorant at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Great Cormorant is available HERE . There are several races of Great Cormorant that altogether have a very wide-ranging distribution. They are present in most of Europe (except large parts of Scandinavia), in parts of Marocco, Tunisia, Asia Minor, the coastline of much of the Middle East, parts of southern and mid-latitude Asia, including Japan and Taiwan, the river Nile valley and parts of eastern Africa, coastal Arabia and the East coast of North America. There is also a separate population in Australia, New Zealand and parts of New Guinea (for details see, e.g., Wikipedia). In Europe nominate race "carbo" and race "sinensis" are found - in part permanent residents, while others spend only the winters in Europe. Race "carbo" lives along the Atlantic coastline, towards Iceland, Greenland and North America, while race "sinensis" is found anywhere to the East of the European Atlantic coast, i.e. along the Baltic Sea and in inland parts of Europe. Apart from the Atlantic coastline (of both continental Europe and the British Isles), within Europe the areas where Great Cormorants are found permanently are patchy. The most important areas are the lake district of northern Germany and Poland, the Rhine valley, lakes in the Alps, the Danube valley and parts of Hungary. Only the Atlantic coastline of Norway, the coastal fringe of the Baltic Sea and of the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea have a migratory breeding population. Elsewhere (mainly in Iberia, the British Isles, western France and Italy) they are found mostly in near-coastal areas as winter visitors. Great Cormorants can be found in any type of aquatic habitat (both fresh water and saline), from the open sea and estuaries to rivers, freshwater lakes and large dams.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "carbo" M. Eaton reports spotting Great Cormorants, race "carbo", at Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, in June 2018. Race "sinensis" H. Dahlem-Senger reports spotting Great Cormorants, race "sinensis", on the river Rhine in the Rheingau, Germany, in March 2013 and again in May 2022. In August 2022, at a time of severe drought, a large flock was found in Eltville, Germany, Hessen. In February 2023, a nesting colony of Great Cormorants, race "sinensis", was found on the banks of the river Rhine between Eltville and Ruedesheim, Hessen, Germany. The species was also found on Fehmarn island, Germany, in January 2015. D. Wilczynska reports spotting Great Cormorants, race "sinensis", at Lake Dlugie Wigierskie, Wigry NP, Masurias, Poland, in August 2017. A significant number was also found along the river Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, in March 2019. J. Pires reports spotting Great Cormorants, race "sinensis", regularly, all year round, in rivers and estuaries in various locations in Portugal, where they not only overwinter, but stay throughout the year and breed. M. Thomas reports spotting a Great Cormorant, race "sinensis", at Skagen, Jütland, Denmark, in September 2019. M. Eaton reports spotting Great Cormorants, race "sinensis", at Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, in September 2019. M. Eaton also found Great Cormorants, race "sinensis", near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, and in St. James's Park, London, England, in September 2019. G. Normand and R. Normandreport finding Great Cormorants, race "sinensis", in Bois de Vincennes, 12th district, Paris, in March 2019 and near Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France, in August 2019, respectively. We have also spotted Great Cormorants, race "sinensis", in Oman. Race "carboides" We have spotted Great Cormorants, race "carboides", in Australia.

Photos

Race "carbo"

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

First-year Great Cormorants on a rock (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Skjervoy, near Tromso, Norway, June 2018]

Race "sinensis"

ADULT

Sex unknown

BREEDING

Frontal view of a Great Cormorant in breeding plumage with nuptial flush (photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Bois de Vincennes, 12th district, Paris, March 2019]

Lateral portrait of a Great Cormorant in breeding plumage with nuptial flush; note the white neck, nuchal tuft, orange/bronze facial skin and the spots around the eye-ring (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo estuary, Portugal, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Great Cormorant in breeding plumage with nuptial flush; note the white thigh patches, the white neck, nuchal tuft, orange/bronze facial skin and the spots around the eye-ring (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, February 2018]

Lateral view of a Great Cormorant in breeding plumage with nuptial flush looking away from the observer
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2019]

Lateral view of a Great Cormorant in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, February 2020]

Lateral view of a Great Cormorant in breeding plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, March 2020]

NON-BREEDING

Close-up near-frontal view of an adult Great Cormorant with a juvenile behind (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Lateral view of a Great Cormorant (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, February 2018]

Lateral view of a Great Cormorant looking backwards (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Raia river, Mora, Evora, Portugal, January 2021]

Near-dorsal view of a Great Cormorant in non-breeding plumage on a convenient perch (photo courtesy of R. Normand)
[Near Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur, France, in August 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Great Cormorant drying its plumage (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, Schierstein, Rheingau, Germany, March 2013]

Dorsal view of a Great Cormorant drying its plumage (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, Schierstein, Rheingau, Germany, March 2013]

Flock of Great Cormorants roosting on a sandbank (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Montargil, Alentejo, Portugal, February 2017]

Overview of a small group of Great Cormorants (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[Fehmarn, Germany, January 2015]

Comparison between 2 Great Cormorants, right, in non-breeding plumage with five European Shags, left to centre
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sagres, Algarve, Portugal]

Great Cormorants in non-breeding plumage in comparison with a Great [White] Egret (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Santa Justa, Coruche, Portugal, November 2018]

Frontal view of a Great Cormorant landing on water (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, December 2013]

Lateral view of a Great Cormorant in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, January 2018]

Small flock of Great Cormorants in flight (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[River Bug, near Brok, Masovia, Poland, March 2019]

Part of a large flock of Great Cormorants in flight (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, Eltville, Hessen, Germany, August 2022]

Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Great Cormorant in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Douro river, Porto, Portugal, November 2021]

Dorsal view of a Great Cormorant in flight (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Vila Franca de Xira, Tejo estuary, Portugal, November 2021]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Close-up near-frontal view of an adult Great Cormorant with a juvenile behind (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

Adult Great Cormorant, front left, with a juvenile behind and a first-year immature bird, front right, all in comparison with a Grey Heron (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[November 2017]

First-year immature Great Cormorants with a juvenile, front centre, and behind it a non-breeding adult
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Mequinenza, Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain, September 2019]

Lateral view of a first-year immature(?) Great Cormorant (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, September 2019]

Dorsal view of a first-year immature Great Cormorant drying its plumage (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Tejo river, Trafaria, Almada, Portugal, February 2014]

Frontal view of a juvenile Great Cormorant looking sideways (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Mosel, between Reil and Pünderich, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, May 2022]

Near-frontal to near-lateral view of juvenile Great Cormorants (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sesimbra, Setubal, Portugal, March 2018]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Great Cormorant (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile Great Cormorant (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Mosel, between Reil and Pünderich, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, May 2022]

Lateral view of a juvenile Great Cormorant (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Alentejo, Portugal, January 2020]

Lateral view of a juvenile Great Cormorant (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sorraia River, Santa Justa, Coruche, Santarem, Portugal, September 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile Great Cormorant (photo courtesy of M. Thomas)
[Skagen, Jütland, Denmark, September 2019]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Great Cormorant; the greyish-brown front of the neck shows that this bird is still young
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Wadebridge, Cornwall, England, September 2019]

Additional information

More photos of Great Cormorants, race "sinensis", were taken by us in Oman.

Race "carboides"

Photos of Great Cormorants, race "carboides", were taken by us in Australia.

Breeding information

Breeding season: Feb - Aug?

Eggs: 3 - 5

Incubation period: 28 - 31 days

Fledging age: ca. 49 days

Nest building: Male (& female)

Incubation: Female & male

Dependent care: Female & male

Nest

Type: Basket

Material: Sticks

Height above ground: 0 - 10 m

The males will usually select the nest site and collect nest material. Nests can be on the ground, e.g. on rock ledges, or in major forks of trees.

Small breeding colony of Great Cormorants; the birds were active on their nests at the end of February, in biting cold conditions (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Eltville and Ruedesheim, Hessen, Germany, February 2023]

Part of a small breeding colony of Great Cormorants (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Eltville and Ruedesheim, Hessen, Germany, February 2023]

Pair of Great Cormorants at their nest (photo courtesy of H. Dahlem-Senger)
[River Rhine, between Eltville and Ruedesheim, Hessen, Germany, February 2023]

Eggs

Size: 63 x 41 mm

Colour: White, with green or blue tint

Shape: Long tapered oval

Behaviour

Small flock of Great Cormorants preparing to hunt fish collectively (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Lake Dlugie Wigierskie, Wigry NP, Masurias, Poland, August 2017]

Food, Diet

Great Cormorant with its catch, a fish (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, November 2014]

Juvenile Great Cormorant swallowing its prey (photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Sapal de Castro Marim, Vila Real de Santo Antonio, Algarve, Portugal, September 2020]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

grtcorm_20170701.m4a	carboides (NW NSW)	Arrival	© MD
grtcorm_dw_20170815.m4a	sinensis (Poland)	? (flock)	© DW
grtcorm_dw_20170815_1.m4a	sinensis (Poland)	? (flock)	© DW

More Great Cormorant sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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.

Would you like to contribute photos or sound recordings to this site? If interested, please CLICK HERE. Credits to contributors are given HERE.

Disclaimer: Comments are always welcome. We give no guarantee that the information presented on these pages is always correct or up-to-date. External links are marked as such and we take no responsibility for the contents of external pages. All images on this site are protected by copyright & used by permission of the respective owners. If you wish to reproduce them or any of the material presented on this web site, please contact us: We hereby acknowledge the original custodians of the land which is described on these pages, including the Gomeroi/Gamilaraay people of the North-west Slopes and Plains of NSW, and the traditional owners of other lands and nations within this country. We acknowledge elders past, present and emerging. Sovereignty was never ceded.          Last updated: Thu, 2 March 2023, 19:31 +00:00