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:

Very similar to Thrush Nightingale. Anonymous, indistinct plumage and secretive behaviour makes it an easily overlooked bird (except when singing). Tail rufous brown, upperparts warm brown. Underparts buff and white. Throat without streaking. Tail more rufous, and contrasts less with the warm brown back, than in Thrush Nightingale. Overall a more smooth and clean appearance. Thrush-like behaviour despite the small size, with jumping gait, erect posture, raised tail and drooping wings.

Sound:

Alarm call either a thin, flycatcher-like "weeet", or a Chiff-chaff-like "piuu". Also a characteristic (but similar to Thrush Nighitingale) dry, rattling, frog-like "rrrrr". The song is the best characteristic to separate it from T. Nightingale. It consists of extremely resonant, full-bodied notes and lacks the, dry, rolling, rattling sounds of T.N. Most distinct species specific sound is the interwoven series of slightly ascending, plaintive notes (0.04 - 0.10 in recording). May mimic Thrush Nightningale!

Song:

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