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:

At a distance quite similar to Razorbill. Bill more slender, pointed and without white markings. Flanks streaked in black, and armpits with conspicuous black spot. Tail shorter than Razorbill. Cheeks white in winter, with thin black groove behind eye. Some individuals show white eye-ring and eye-groove in summer plumage. Differs from Brunnich's Guillemot in rounded, white wedge protruding from chest to throat, and all dark bill. Slender neck, head and bill, in combination with the short tail, gives it a different profile than Razorbill whether perched, swimming or flying.

Sound:

Very coarse and deep voice. Typically rising in pitch, then ending on a prolonged stable note with a laughing quality. Sometimes only the coarse beginning uttered like "ga-ga-ga".

Contact call:

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

CC-sounds:www.xeno-canto.org,david m,http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/