Great Cormorant vs Hawfinch
Phalacrocorax carbo comparé à Coccothraustes coccothraustes
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribut | Great Cormorant | Hawfinch |
|---|---|---|
| Nom scientifique | Phalacrocorax carbo | Coccothraustes coccothraustes |
| Ordre | Suliformes | Passeriformes |
| Famille | Phalacrocoracidae | Fringillidae |
| Statut de conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Longueur | 90,0 cm (35.4 in) | 18,0 cm (7.1 in) |
| Envergure | 145,0 cm (57.1 in) | 32,0 cm (12.6 in) |
| Poids | 2600,0 g (91.71 oz) | 55,0 g (1.94 oz) |
| Régime alimentaire | Fish caught by diving from the surface. Pursues prey underwater using powerful feet for propulsion. … | Seeds and kernels, especially from cherries, olives, elms, and hornbeams. The bill exerts a force … |
| Taille de la couvée | 1-7 | 3-5 |
| 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.
Hawfinch
Deciduous and mixed woodland, orchards, parks, and large gardens with mature fruiting trees.
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.
Hawfinch
A sharp, metallic 'tsick' call — the primary vocalization and often all that's heard. Song is a thin, reedy warble. Generally inconspicuous vocally despite its striking appearance.
Geographic Range & Migration
Great Cormorant
Very wide range across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia. One of the most widespread cormorant species.
Hawfinch
Europe, North Africa, and western and central Asia. Partially migratory, with northern populations moving south in winter.
Statut de conservation
Great Cormorant
Hawfinch
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
Hawfinch
Orange-brown head with a black bib and eye stripe. Warm brown back, grey nape, and broad white wing bar. Massive head and bill give a top-heavy appearance.
Enormously powerful, conical, pale bill capable of cracking cherry and olive stones
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.
Hawfinch
The hawfinch possesses the most powerful bill relative to body size of any European bird, capable of cracking cherry stones that require a force of 27-43 kg. Despite its distinctive appearance, it is famously shy and difficult to observe. The skull contains special adaptations to absorb the enormous forces generated during seed-cracking.