Great Cormorant vs Secretary Bird
Phalacrocorax carbo compared with Sagittarius serpentarius
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Cormorant | Secretary Bird |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phalacrocorax carbo | Sagittarius serpentarius |
| Order | Suliformes | Accipitriformes |
| Family | Phalacrocoracidae | Sagittariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Endangered |
| Length | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 130.0 cm (51.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) | 210.0 cm (82.7 in) |
| Weight | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) | 3700.0 g (130.51 oz) |
| Diet | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … | Snakes, lizards, small mammals, and large insects. Hunts on foot, stomping prey to death with … |
| Clutch Size | 1-7 | 1-4 |
| 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.
Secretary Bird
Open grasslands, savannas, and light woodland across sub-Saharan Africa. Avoids dense forests and very arid regions.
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.
Secretary Bird
A surprisingly deep, resonant croaking 'kowrr-kowrr' often heard at dawn on African savannas. Also gives pig-like grunting sounds. Mostly silent compared to true songbirds.
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Secretary Bird
Sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal and Somalia south to South Africa. Resident throughout its range.
Conservation Status
Great Cormorant
Secretary Bird
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
Secretary Bird
Grey body plumage with black flight feathers and thigh feathers. Distinctive long black crest feathers trail from the back of the head. Orange-red bare facial skin.
Short, strong, hooked greyish bill with a yellowish cere
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.
Secretary Bird
The secretary bird is the only raptor that hunts primarily on foot, striding through grasslands on crane-like legs up to 1.2 meters tall. Its name may derive from the crest feathers resembling quill pens tucked behind a secretary's ear. The species is classified as Endangered due to habitat loss and decline across much of its range.