Bird Guide

Black-faced Cormorant vs Red-legged Cormorant

Black-faced Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscescens)

Black-faced Cormorant

Phalacrocorax fuscescens

Huge1.5 kgMarine

Like other cormorant species, the black-faced cormorant is a large aquatic bird, with a long hooked bill, webbed feet, and monochromatic plumage. This is one of the largest cormorants found in south-western Australia and has pied plumage with the upper half of its body black and the undersides white. Its face is naked and black, hence the "black-faced" name, and the tail, feet, and thighs are also black. The back feathers are glossy, and its bill is dark grey with a prominent hook at the tip. It has blue-green eyes. Voice: Black-faced cormorants are usually silent when away from the breeding colony. However, when they are at their nests, the male will emit a loud honk or guttural croak, and the female will hiss when approached.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0
Red-legged Cormorant (Poikilocarbo gaimardi)

Red-legged Cormorant

Poikilocarbo gaimardi

Large1.4 kgMarine

The red-legged cormorant is a medium-sized seabird, with a long neck, streamlined body, webbed feet and a long, thin hooked bill. Its body length is 71–76 centimetres (28–30 in), with an average wingspan of 91 cm (36 in). It weighs 1.3–1.5 kilograms (2.9–3.3 lb). There is no sexual dimorphism between the male and female birds. The red-legged cormorant's appearance is unmistakable. Breeding adults have a smoky grey body, with a slightly paler underside. They have scattered areas of white filoplumes behind the eyes and down the neck. Voice: The red-legged cormorants calls are unlike most seabirds; they consist of high-pitched chirps and chirrups more like a songbird.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Red-legged Cormorant
Recorded by Kero-Kero · Uncertain · Saavedra (near Boca Budi), Cautín, Araucanía, Chile · CC0
Photo: Pete Cable · CC BY 2.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-faced Cormorant and Red-legged Cormorant.