Bird Guide

Brandt's Cormorant vs Red-faced Cormorant

Brandt's Cormorant (Urile penicillatus)

Brandt's Cormorant

Urile penicillatus

Huge2.2 kgMarine

The average size of a Brandt's cormorant is 4.6 pounds. They have a length of about 34 inches and their wingspan is 4 feet. During the breeding season, adults have a blue throat patch.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: verygreen · CC BY 2.0
Red-faced Cormorant (Urile urile)

Red-faced Cormorant

Urile urile

Huge2.1 kgMarine

The adult bird has glossy plumage that is a deep greenish blue in color, becoming purplish or bronze on the back and sides. In breeding condition it has a double crest, and white plumes on the flanks, neck and rump, and the bare facial skin of the lores and around the eyes is a bright orange or red, giving the bird its name; although the coloration is less vivid outside the breeding season, the red facial skin is enough to distinguish it from the otherwise rather similar pelagic cormorant. Its legs and feet are brownish black. Its wings range from 25 to 29 cm (9.8 to 11.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Art Sowls · Public domain

Where you might meet both

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

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