Great Cormorant vs Red-legged Cormorant
Phalacrocorax carbo compared with Poikilocarbo gaimardi
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Cormorant | Red-legged Cormorant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phalacrocorax carbo | Poikilocarbo gaimardi |
| 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) | 49.3 cm (19.4 in) |
| Weight | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) | 1416.6666666666667 g (49.97 oz) |
| Diet | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1-7 | 3-4 |
| 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.
Red-legged Cormorant
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Red-legged Cormorant
Conservation Status
Great Cormorant
Red-legged 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
Red-legged 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.
Red-legged Cormorant
71–76 cm. Slender; grey body; red legs; spotted white scapulars; red facial skin; yellow bill. Coastal endemic of western South America (Peru, Chile). Near Threatened; restricted to rocky coasts with Humboldt Current upwelling. Feeds on fish by diving in cold, productive inshore waters.