Great Cormorant vs Mallard
Phalacrocorax carbo compared with Anas platyrhynchos
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Cormorant | Mallard |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phalacrocorax carbo | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Order | Suliformes | Anseriformes |
| Family | Phalacrocoracidae | Anatidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 58.0 cm (22.8 in) |
| Wingspan | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) |
| Weight | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) | 1100.0 g (38.80 oz) |
| Diet | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … | Omnivorous — aquatic plants, seeds, insects, crustaceans, and mollusks. Feeds by dabbling, upending, and grazing … |
| Clutch Size | 1-7 | 4-18 |
| 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.
Mallard
Nearly any wetland habitat including lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes, estuaries, and urban park ponds.
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.
Mallard
Female gives the classic 'quack-quack-quack', descending in pitch. Male utters soft nasal 'raeb-raeb'. Both give a high 'gag-gag-gag' when alarmed or taking flight.
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Mallard
Native across the Northern Hemisphere in North America, Europe, and Asia. Introduced to Australia and New Zealand.
Conservation Status
Great Cormorant
Mallard
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
Mallard
Breeding males have an iridescent green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, and grey body. Females are mottled brown. Both sexes show a blue speculum bordered by white.
Broad, flat bill — yellow-green in males, orange-brown in females
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.
Mallard
The mallard is the ancestor of most domestic duck breeds and the most abundant and widespread dabbling duck in the world. Males perform elaborate courtship displays including head-bobbing and whistle-grunt calls. Mallards are highly adaptable, thriving in both wilderness and urban environments.