- Microcarbo pygmaeus
Phalacrocorax pygmeus
Identification
45-55 cm (17¾-6 in)
- Black overall plumage
- Long tail
- Short thick bill
Breeding adult
- Short erectile crest on forehead
- Small white feather tufts on the head, neck and underparts in the breeding season
- Non-breeding birds have a white throat
- The sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller and browner.
Similar Species
This species is distinguished from the Great Cormorant and the Common Shag by its much smaller size, lighter build, and long tail.
Distribution
Inland lakes and rivers of south-eastern Europe to central Asia.
Taxonomy
Formerly placed in genus Phalacrocorax.
This is a monotypic species[1].
Habitat
Wetlands with still or slowly flowing fresh water in coastal deltas and well-vegetated freshwater lakes.
Status
They are classed as endangered due to the drainage of wetlands and loss of woodlands; water pollution, disturbance, illegal hunting and drowning in nets.
Behaviour
Breeding
Their nest is constructed from grass and twigs, placed in a low tree or reedbed. The clutch contains 3-6 eggs which both parents incubate for 27-30 days. The young become independent after 70 days.
Diet
The diet consists mostly of fish, particularly rudd.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Beauty of Birds
- Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive (retrieved November 2018)
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Pygmy Cormorant. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 17 March 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Pygmy_Cormorant
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
