Great Cormorant vs Cape Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo compared with Phalacrocorax capensis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Cormorant | Cape Cormorant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phalacrocorax carbo | Phalacrocorax capensis |
| Order | Suliformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Phalacrocoracidae | Phalacrocoracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | — |
| Wingspan | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) | 50.6 cm (19.9 in) |
| Weight | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) | 1223.75 g (43.17 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.
Cape Cormorant
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Cape Cormorant
Conservation Status
Great Cormorant
Cape 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
Cape 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.
Cape Cormorant
63 cm. All-black with glossy blue-green; bare orange facial skin. Breeds colonially on South African and Namibian islands. Endangered; severe decline due to competition with purse-seine anchovy fisheries and El Niño events. Feeds on anchovy and sardine in Benguela Current.