Great Cormorant vs Southern Cassowary
Phalacrocorax carbo compared with Casuarius casuarius
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Cormorant | Southern Cassowary |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phalacrocorax carbo | Casuarius casuarius |
| Order | Suliformes | Casuariiformes |
| Family | Phalacrocoracidae | Casuariidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | 90.0 cm (35.4 in) | 155.0 cm (61.0 in) |
| Wingspan | 145.0 cm (57.1 in) | 60.2 cm (23.7 in) |
| Weight | 2600.0 g (91.71 oz) | 58000.0 g (2045.89 oz) |
| Diet | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … | Primarily fallen fruit from the rainforest floor, also fungi, invertebrates, and small vertebrates. A critical … |
| Clutch Size | 1-7 | 3-8 |
| 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.
Southern Cassowary
Tropical rainforests, mangroves, and adjacent habitat in New Guinea and northeastern Australia.
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.
Southern Cassowary
Produces very deep, booming rumbles and low-frequency calls below 20 Hz (infrasound), felt more than heard. Also gives loud bellowing grunts audible up to 1 km away.
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Southern Cassowary
New Guinea, nearby islands, and northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Conservation Status
Great Cormorant
Southern Cassowary
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
Southern Cassowary
Glossy black hair-like plumage. Brilliant blue and red bare skin on the head and neck. A large bony casque crowns the head. Vestigial wings with no flight feathers.
Long, laterally compressed, dark grey bill
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.
Southern Cassowary
The southern cassowary is often called the most dangerous bird in the world due to its powerful legs and dagger-like inner claw that can reach 12 cm in length. Despite this reputation, cassowaries are vital rainforest keystone species, dispersing seeds of plants that no other animal can. The purpose of their distinctive casque remains debated.