Budgerigar vs Great Cormorant
Melopsittacus undulatus compared with Phalacrocorax carbo
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Budgerigar | Great Cormorant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Melopsittacus undulatus | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| Order | Psittaciformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Psittaculidae | Phalacrocoracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 18.0 cm (7.1 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 30.0 cm (11.8 in) | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Weight | 30.0 g (1.06 oz) | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) |
| Diet | Primarily grass seeds and other small seeds. In the wild, feeds on the ground in … | 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
Shared Habitats
None
Budgerigar only
Great Cormorant only
Budgerigar
Open grasslands, scrublands, and woodland in the Australian interior. Nomadic, following rainfall and seeding events.
Great Cormorant
Coasts, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Nests in colonies in trees, on cliffs, or on the ground.
Song & Call Comparison
Budgerigar
A rising, chattering 'budgerigar' chatter: rapid series of 'chek-chek-chek' and melodic warbling. Enormous wild flocks produce a continuous roaring chorus. Good vocal mimics in captivity.
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
Budgerigar
Interior of Australia, especially arid and semi-arid regions. One of the most popular pet birds worldwide.
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Conservation Status
Budgerigar
Great Cormorant
How to Tell Them Apart
Budgerigar
Wild-type is green with yellow head and barred black scalloping on upperparts. Captive-bred varieties include blue, white, yellow, and many other colors.
Short, downward-curved, olive-grey bill typical of parakeets
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
Budgerigar
The budgerigar is the third most popular pet in the world after dogs and cats, and by far the most common pet parrot. Wild budgies travel in enormous nomadic flocks that can darken the sky. Males can learn to mimic human speech, with one record-holding budgie having a vocabulary of 1,728 words.
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.