Great Cormorant vs Shoebill
Phalacrocorax carbo compared with Balaeniceps rex
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Cormorant | Shoebill |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phalacrocorax carbo | Balaeniceps rex |
| Order | Suliformes | Pelecaniformes |
| Family | Phalacrocoracidae | Balaenicipitidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Vulnerable |
| Length | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 120.0 cm (47.2 in) |
| Wingspan | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) | 240.0 cm (94.5 in) |
| Weight | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) | 5500.0 g (194.01 oz) |
| Diet | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … | Primarily lungfish, also catfish, water snakes, monitor lizards, and baby crocodiles. Hunts by standing motionless, … |
| Clutch Size | 1-7 | 1-3 |
| 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.
Shoebill
Freshwater swamps dominated by papyrus and other dense aquatic vegetation in tropical East Africa.
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.
Shoebill
Largely silent; produces mechanical bill-clattering 'clap-clap-clap' when greeting at the nest — similar to White Stork. Also gives low croaking grunts. Rarely calls in the wild.
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Shoebill
Central and East Africa from South Sudan and Ethiopia south to Zambia. Largest populations in South Sudan and Uganda.
Conservation Status
Great Cormorant
Shoebill
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
Shoebill
Blue-grey plumage overall with a slightly darker back and wings. Powder down gives a washed-out appearance. Small tuft on the back of the head.
Massive shoe-shaped bill, one of the largest of any bird — pale yellowish-grey with darker markings
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.
Shoebill
The shoebill is one of the most sought-after birds for birdwatchers visiting Africa, prized for its prehistoric appearance and massive bill. It can stand motionless for hours before collapsing forward to seize prey in its enormous bill. Despite standing over a meter tall, shoebills weigh relatively little due to their hollow bones.