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Striking, locally common black-and-white cormorant with blue eye-ring and yellow caruncle, of colder coastal waters.
Not listed
At a glance
FamilyCormorants and Shags
SizeSmall
RarityRare
HabitatCoastlines, harbours, offshore waters, estuaries, headlands, beaches, and large inland water when conditions suit.
Best timePeak activity in Feb, Jan, Dec. Morning coastal watches and tide changes that concentrate feeding activity.
Sounds
Sound sampleRecorded by Meena Haribal
Range map
Range map
No mapped hotspots are available in the visible area for the selected window.
Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.
Species notes
Overview
Often seen perched on inshore rocks and jetties, sometimes with Magellanic Cormorant. Plumage varies regionally, with some birds black-cheeked and others white-cheeked; the two types interbreed locally in the Strait of Magellan. Immature resembles adult but plumage duller overall, brownish above. Includes several taxa formerly considered separate species, all found on remote Southern Ocean islands or Antarctica: Heard Island, Macquarie, Crozet, Kerguelen, and Antarctic Shags.
Behavior
Striking, locally common black-and-white cormorant with blue eye-ring and yellow caruncle, of colder coastal waters. Nests colonially on low islands (rarely in lakes inland from coast) and jetties.
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