Bird Guide

Indian Cormorant vs Little Black Cormorant

Indian Cormorant (Phalacrocorax fuscicollis)

Indian Cormorant

Phalacrocorax fuscicollis

Large706 gWetland

This medium-sized bronze brown cormorant is scalloped in black on the upper plumage, lacks a crest and has a small and slightly peaked head with a long narrow bill that ends in a hooked tip. The eyes are blue and it has bare yellow facial skin during the non-breeding season. Breeding birds have a short white ear tuft. In some plumages it has a white throat but the white is restricted below the gape unlike in the much larger great cormorant. Sexes are similar, but non-breeding adults and juveniles are browner.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Aparna · CC BY 4.0
Little Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax sulcirostris)

Little Black Cormorant

Phalacrocorax sulcirostris

Large995 gWetland

The little black cormorant is a small cormorant measuring 60–65 cm (23.5–25.5 in) with all black plumage. The back has a greenish sheen. In breeding season, white feathers appear irregularly about the head and neck, with a whitish eyebrow evident. The plumage is a more fade brown afterwards. Males and females are identical in plumage. The long slender bill is grey, and legs and feet black. The iris of the adult is green and the juvenile brown. Immature birds have brown and black plumage.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: patrickkavanagh · CC BY 2.0

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Indian Cormorant and Little Black Cormorant.