Black Swan vs Great Cormorant
Cygnus atratus compared with Phalacrocorax carbo
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Swan | Great Cormorant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cygnus atratus | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| Order | Anseriformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Anatidae | Phalacrocoracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 190.0 cm (74.8 in) | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Weight | 6200.0 g (218.70 oz) | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) |
| Diet | Aquatic vegetation and algae, supplemented with grain and pasture grasses. Feeds by upending in shallow … | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … |
| Clutch Size | 4-6 | 1-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Black Swan
Lakes, rivers, swamps, and coastal waters across Australia. Also found in ornamental lakes in parks.
Great Cormorant
Coasts, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Nests in colonies in trees, on cliffs, or on the ground.
Song & Call Comparison
Black Swan
Gives a musical bugling 'boo-boo-boo' in flight and softer honking on water. Less vocal than Mute Swan; produces a baying call when alarmed. Wings whistle softly in flight.
Great Cormorant
Deep, guttural grunts and 'karrr' calls at colonies. Bill-clicking and hissing in threat displays. Silent at sea. Colonial noise can be deafening during the breeding season.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Swan
Australia, primarily in the southeast and southwest. Introduced populations in New Zealand, Japan, and western Europe.
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Conservation Status
Black Swan
Great Cormorant
How to Tell Them Apart
Black Swan
Almost entirely black with white flight feathers visible in flight. Red bill with a white band near the tip. Dark red to reddish-brown iris.
Bright red bill with a pale tip and prominent white band
Great Cormorant
All black with a bronze-green gloss. White throat patch and white thigh patches in breeding season. Yellow-orange face patch around the bill base.
Long, hooked, dark bill with a yellow gape
About These Birds
Black Swan
The black swan was once considered impossible by Europeans who believed all swans were white, making it a famous philosophical example of inductive reasoning failure. It is the state emblem of Western Australia. Black swans form lifelong pair bonds and both parents share in incubation and care of cygnets.
Great Cormorant
The great cormorant is one of the most widespread seabirds in the world. Unlike most waterbirds, cormorants lack fully waterproof plumage, leading to the iconic pose of standing with wings spread open to dry. In Asia, cormorants have been used by fishermen to catch fish for over a thousand years.