Great Cormorant vs Guanay Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo compared with Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Cormorant | Guanay Cormorant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phalacrocorax carbo | Leucocarbo bougainvilliorum |
| Order | Suliformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Phalacrocoracidae | Phalacrocoracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Near Threatened |
| Length | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) | 58.6 cm (23.1 in) |
| Weight | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) | 2280.5 g (80.44 oz) |
| Diet | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1-7 | 2-3 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Size Comparison
Habitat Comparison
Great Cormorant
Coasts, estuaries, lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. Nests in colonies in trees, on cliffs, or on the ground.
Song & Call Comparison
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.
Guanay Cormorant
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Guanay Cormorant
Conservation Status
Great Cormorant
Guanay Cormorant
How to Tell Them Apart
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
Guanay Cormorant
About These Birds
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.
Guanay Cormorant
76 cm. Black above; white underparts; black facial skin; yellow bill. Breeds Peruvian and Chilean coast; one of the most abundant South American seabirds. Feeds on anchovy in Humboldt Current. Produces massive guano deposits; colonies of millions historically. Near Threatened; sensitive to El Niño.