Scientific Name: Phalacrocorax carbo
Common Name: Great Cormorant
Other Names: Black shag, Large cormorant

Identifying Features: black body, black webbed feet, blue eyes, white patch on throat in breeding season, yellow patch below bill

Fun Facts:

  • This is the largest of the Cormorants found in India.
  • This is a very common and widespread bird species. It feeds on the sea, in estuaries, and on freshwater lakes and rivers.
  • A very rare variation of the great cormorant is caused by albinism. Albino suffers from poor eyesight and/or hearing, thus it rarely manages to survive in the wild.

 

This image was clicked by Sandeep Gangadharan – via Flickr.

Where have you seen this bird? Let us know in the comments below. You can also share a photo of this bird clicked by you by sending it to birdwatcher@delhigreens.org