Demoiselle Crane vs Great Cormorant
Anthropoides virgo compared with Phalacrocorax carbo
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Demoiselle Crane | Great Cormorant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Anthropoides virgo | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| Order | Gruiformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Gruidae | Phalacrocoracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Wingspan | 175.0 cm (68.9 in) | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) |
| Weight | 2500.0 g (88.18 oz) | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) |
| Diet | Seeds, grasses, insects, snails, worms, and small vertebrates. Forages in grasslands and agricultural fields. | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 1-7 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
Demoiselle Crane only
Great Cormorant only
Demoiselle Crane
Dry grasslands, savannas, and semi-desert. Nests on the ground in open country, often near water. Winters in agricultural fields.
Great Cormorant
Coasts, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Nests in colonies in trees, on cliffs, or on the ground.
Song & Call Comparison
Demoiselle Crane
A high-pitched, bugling 'karr-r-r' in flight. Also gives softer clucking and purring contact calls. Migrating flocks produce a continuous musical babbling audible from great distance.
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
Demoiselle Crane
Central Eurasia from the Black Sea to Mongolia and northeastern China. Winters in India and sub-Saharan Africa.
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Conservation Status
Demoiselle Crane
Great Cormorant
How to Tell Them Apart
Demoiselle Crane
Pale blue-grey body with a black head, neck, and breast plumes. White ear tufts extend behind the red eyes. Long black tertials drape over the tail.
Short, yellowish-olive bill, shorter than other cranes
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
Demoiselle Crane
The demoiselle crane is the smallest crane species but undertakes one of the most grueling migrations, crossing the Himalayas at altitudes over 8,000 meters to reach wintering grounds in India. Named for its elegant appearance by Marie Antoinette, it is the second most abundant crane species in the world.
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.