How to identify cormorants

Bird ID

12 Feb

6 minute read

Unravel the mysteries of Australia's cormorants! This How-to guide will help you identify all five species with ease by focusing on size, feather colour, habitat, and other interesting facts.

Black-faced Cormorant

Look for the zig-zag pattern at the start of the Black-faced Cormorant’s bill. You will also notice it has black facial skin and black leg feathers (that some people call “black pants”).

Location: southern coasts of mainland Australia and Tasmania, and commonly seen in Bass Strait and the Spencer Gulf

Black-faced Cormorant is a bird that swims in the water, flies in the air and can walk on land. It is mainly black and white, with a hooked long bill and short legs.

Great Cormorant

Australia’s largest cormorant, the Great Cormorant, is easily identified by its size and yellow facial skin. Mature and breeding adults also have a white cheek patch and a white thigh patch.

Location: mainly found in south-east and south-west Australia

This bird has a long hooked bill, yellow skin on its face, and a large body that's black and brown, which enables it to swim and fly

Little Black Cormorant

This cormorant is easier to identify because all of its feathers are black. It can grow small white flecks on its head during breeding season.

Location: throughout Australia, including Tasmania

The Little Black Cormorant is an all-black bird with a thin grey bill and feathers that allow it to fly and swim

Little Pied Cormorant

Australia’s smallest cormorant, the Little Pied Cormorant, is one of our most common water birds. It can be identified by its size, steep forehead, stubby yellow-orange-bill, white leg feathers (which some people call “white pants”) and long wedge-shaped tail.

Location: across Australia

Pied Cormorant

One of the larger cormorants, the Pied Cormorant is identified by its yellow facial skin in front of its eye and its black leg feathers (that are sometimes called “black pants”). You will also noticed its sloped forehead, compared to the steep forehead of the Little Pied Cormorant.

Location: mainland Australia, except the driest parts of central Australia

This bird is mainly black on top and white underneath. It has a yellow patch on its eye, black legs and feet and a body that can swim underwater and fly in the air

Australasian Darter
(not a cormorant)

The Australasian Darter looks like a cormorant but actually belongs to the Anhinga family of birds (its relatives live overseas). You know you’re looking at a Darter when you see its long, snake-like neck and its straight pointy bill.

Location: most Australian mainland states and territories