Alternative name: Reed Cormorant
- Microcarbo africanus
Phalacrocorax africanus
Identification
50-55 cm length and an 85 cm wingspan.
Black, glossed green, in the breeding season. The wing coverts are silvery. It has a long tail, a short head crest and a red or yellow face patch. The bill is yellow.
Sexes are similar, but non-breeding adults and juveniles are browner. A gallery search demonstrates some variability in plumage, for example extent of white in the head. Some southern populations retain the crest all year round.
Distribution
Taxonomy
This is a polytypic species[1] consisting of 2 subspecies.
This species has previously been considered to include Crowned Cormorant as a subspecies.
Formerly placed in genus Phalacrocorax.
Subspecies
- M. a. africanus:
Africa south of the Sahara
- M. a. pictilis:
Habitat
Freshwater wetlands or quiet coasts.
Behaviour
Breeding
2-4 eggs are laid in a nest in a tree or on the ground.
Diet
It can dive to considerable depths, but usually feeds in shallow water. It frequently brings prey to the surface. A wide variety of fish are taken.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.
