Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

The cormorant is a rather large and narrow bird. Its plumage is almost entirely black. It has a long, grey bill and light blue to turquoise eyes. The plumage of older birds can show a relatively large amount of white feathers on the back of the head. However, the amount of white head feathers varies greatly from bird to bird and also depends on the age of the bird.

The plumage of juvenile birds is generally somewhat lighter and browner. Especially the chest is usually almost white. Also around the base of the beak, the plumage of a young bird can be quite bright.

Cormorants cannot be confused with any other native birds. However, there are two similar birds that can very rarely appear in Switzerland. For example, both the shag and the Pygmy Cormorant can fly into Switzerland. In more than 99% of the cases, however, it will be a cormorant.

The shag looks quite similar to the cormorant. Characteristics to distinguish them are a more pronounced chin and forehead and a slimmer bill.

The pygmy cormorant is significantly smaller than the Cormorant. Also, the Pygmy Cormorant has a much shorter bill, dark eyes, and no yellow at the base of the bill.

The cormorant lives mainly around larger water bodies with a good food supply. The cormorant has its nest on a tree at the shore. For food, the fish-eating bird flies in groups to larger water areas. In winter and during migration periods, the cormorant can also be found on smaller bodies of water.

The Cormorant has only been a breeding bird in Switzerland for a few years. The cormorant first bred around the new millennium. Between 2002 and 2015, the population increased strongly. In recent years, the population has stabilized at around 3,000 to 4,000 pairs.

In Switzerland, the cormorant can be seen in the Central Plateau and Ticino. During migration periods, cormorants can rarely be seen crossing the Alps.

The cormorant eats almost exclusively fish. To hunt, the cormorant dives to depths of up to 16 meters. Mostly, however, the cormorant dives only to depths of a few meters. The cormorant swallows the captured fish in one piece.

The cormorant breeds in usually quite large colonies. There are known colonies with several thousand breeding pairs! The cormorants build their nests on trees near the water. The corrosive excrement causes the trees to die. Thus, the breeding colonies can be recognized by the many dead trees even in winter.

In spring, the female lays between 3 and 4 eggs in the nest made of branches and other plant material. The eggs are then incubated by the parents for a good 4 weeks. After hatching, the young are fed with small fish for about 50 days. Even after the young birds gain the ability to fly, they are still fed by their parents for up to 13 weeks.

Each pair raises one brood per year. The young breed for the first time after about 3 to 4 years.

Cormorants migrate south in winter, depending on the breeding area. In Switzerland, however, most cormorants stay here and do not migrate further south. In addition to the resident birds, individuals from the north come to Switzerland in winter. In winter there are between 5,000 and 6,000 individuals on Swiss waters. At migration times very large groups can develop. I have observed groups of several thousand birds in Switzerland.

Sitting on land, cormorants can often be seen stretching their wings. With their wings stretched out, they often remain on their perch for long periods of time. The reason for this behaviour is still not fully understood. It is assumed, however, that the cormorants would dry their wings in that way.

Cormorants are quite shy animals. Getting close to them without camouflage is very difficult. So far, I have succeeded only once. You can read more about this encounter in the following article: Cormorant in the harbour area. Otherwise, I was able to photograph the cormorants best with the Floating Hide. In general, I recommend you to photograph cormorants only with camouflage or a lot of patience. The cormorant is not an easy species.