As a family of fishers, the cormorants are amongst the bigger birds found in Australia. The Pied cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) is surely much lighter than the Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus), but with its 130 cm wingspan, 2.2 kg weight, and beautiful yellow eyepatch, this aquatic hunter is nevertheless impressive.
Published on September 1, 2016
Pied Cormorant
What a beautiful bird! Never saw that before. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Pam 🙂
Brilliant contrast between the black and white, isn’t it, Maurice!?
Absolutely beautiful, Dries. Read a book called The Devil’s Cormorant by Richard J. King, who compares the colour contrast of the cormorant’s plumage with that from penguins and killer whales; as all those animals hunt for fish that find it hard to see the white chest when looking up from the water, and the black when looking down.