Imperial Shag vs Pygmy Cormorant
Leucocarbo atriceps compared with Microcarbo pygmaeus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Imperial Shag | Pygmy Cormorant |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Leucocarbo atriceps | Microcarbo pygmaeus |
| Order | Suliformes | Suliformes |
| Family | Phalacrocoracidae | Phalacrocoracidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 59.1 cm (23.3 in) | 40.2 cm (15.8 in) |
| Weight | 2294.6666666666665 g (80.94 oz) | 693.3333333333334 g (24.46 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1-5 | 2-8 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Imperial Shag
Least Concern
Pygmy Cormorant
About These Birds
Imperial Shag
72 cm. Black above; white below; vivid orange-yellow caruncles and blue orbital ring. Breeds circumpolar southern South America, Falklands, and Antarctic Peninsula. Feeds on fish and invertebrates in cold Southern Ocean inshore waters. Diverse complex of closely related southern shag species.
Pygmy Cormorant
45–55 cm. Small; dark brown with chestnut head and neck in breeding; pale yellow throat. Resident across eastern Europe, Middle East, and Central Asia in freshwater lakes and rivers. Vulnerable; declining due to wetland degradation. Feeds on small fish by diving.