Appearance:

Easily confused with Shag when not in breeding plumage. Cormorant is larger, heavier built, has a thicker neck and less rounded profile. Head diagnostically wedge-shape, with the back of the head as the highest point. Bill never yellow (but yellow naked area at base of bill). Juveniles usually with whiter belly than Shag, and with less brown tinge. Behavioural differences from shag; often dives without jumping, more common in brackish water, often flies high, and often chooses higher ground or objects when perching. Slower wing-beats than Shag, with more separated primaries. Subspecies sinensis with larger gular poach angle (se fig.).

Sound:

Mostly heard at breeding ground. Coarse, vibrating calls "hahahahaharo". Also deep, rattling and creaking sounds.

Social interaction:

Distribution:

Xeno-canto: map

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

Sounds:Recorded by Anon Torimi,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license

Appearance:

Unmistakable in breeding plumage with golden, speckled upperparts and white-bordered black throat and belly. Male generally blacker than female, but due to regional differences, some females may be darker than males from other areas. Juveniles and birds in winter plumage, lacks the black underparts, and could be mistaken for Grey Plover. Differs from that species in more golden coloured back, less heavy bill and neck and by being slightly smaller. In flight easily told apart from Grey Plover, Pacific Golden Plover and American Golden Plover by white axillaries.

Sound:

Most common call at breeding ground a disyllabic, melancholic and wailing whistle with the end falling in pitch. In song flight also a trilling, warbling and cyclic "preecaria-preecaria-preecaria". Contact call a straight, short "kluee".

Contact call at breeding ground:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC