Great cormorant

The great cormorant, also known as the black shag, is a striking seabird found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. Belonging to the cormorant family, this bird has several subspecies spread across different regions. It is distinguished by its large black plumage and ranges in size from 70 to 102 cm in length, with a weight varying between 1.5 and 5.3 kg. Renowned for its outstanding diving skills, the great cormorant is often seen near aquatic environments, adeptly catching fish.

These birds typically form breeding colonies near wetlands and rivers. They lay clutches of three to five eggs, which they incubate for approximately 28 to 31 days. Primarily feeding on fish, they can dive to depths of around 5.8 meters to capture their prey. However, human activities such as fishing have posed challenges for them, leading to hunting and conflicts with fisheries in the past. Fortunately, conservation efforts have aided in the recovery of their populations.